


Forever Charmed

by fangs_for_the_memories



Category: Carmilla (Web Series), Carmilla - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Charmed AU, Charmed References, F/F, Slow Burn, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-06-18
Packaged: 2018-09-13 21:58:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 100,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9143791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangs_for_the_memories/pseuds/fangs_for_the_memories
Summary: Laura Hollis is a half-witch, half-human who's just graduated from Magic School.  She joins her friends' coven, but they're overly protective of the newbie, especially since Laura doesn't have any powers.  When her new guardian angel Carmilla shows up and asks Laura not to tell anyone, Laura finds out the magical world is everything she hoped it would be-- and more.Aka the Charmed AU no one asked for but I couldn't get out of my head.Updates every Tuesday and Friday.





	1. Something Wicked This Way Carm's

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura, a powerless half-witch, half-human and the newest addition to this coven, embarks on her first mission with the team, only to meet her guardian angel, Carmilla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [About four months ago](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/post/148620511857/so-like-if-i-were-to-write-a-hollstein) I had this random idea of writing a Charmed AU for Carmilla and then I just couldn't get it out of my mind. I wanted to write a story with our group of dimwits set in the world of Charmed, but with an adventure of their own. So I started writing it in hopes of posting it when S3 aired... except I realized I had bitten off WAY more than I could chew with the story I had in mind, so I scrapped that plan and then aimed for Christmas.  
>  Then Life got in the way as it often does, and the story still isn't totally finished yet. I have about a half dozen more chapters left to write, but the bulk of the story is done, and I really wanted to give back to the fandom when 2017 hit.  
> Anyway, since the story isn't done yet, I'm not gonna do my usual _update three times a week_ thing. Instead, I'm eyeballing a weekly Monday schedule, at least until I finish writing. Here are the first two chapters! Hope you enjoy :D

“Hello, viewers! My name is Laura Hollis!” The small blonde widens the shot so her entire bedroom can be seen. “Swish new digs compared to—“

“Laura? Who are you talking to?” a voice calls from outside the open doorway. Three redheads march into the room and stare at the camera, confused.

“My viewers!” Laura replies proudly.

The tallest of the redheads clears her throat. “Uhm, Hollis… You do know you can't be broadcasting magical stuff on the Internet, right? The Cleaners would be on you in an instant.”

Laura nods. “I know, Danny. It's not going on, like, YouTube, or anything like that. Magic School has its own network.”

“I'm confused. Who are your viewers gonna be?” Danny asks.

“Magic school students!” Laura beams. “When I was there, a bunch of students and I found ourselves wishing that we could've heard about what the real world of magic is like—not the watered down, kids’ version we got there. Stuff like the dangers and beauty of the magical world, y'know?”

The three redheads exchange glances before shrugging.

“Alright, Hollis,” the one who called in from the hallway earlier relents. “As long as you're not running around with a GoPro camera and risking your life out there.”

 

Laura shakes her head. “Just post-mission vlogs, promise.” She slides her chair back and gestures at them. “This is Danny, LaFontaine, and Perry,” she says to the camera. “They were my friends from before magic school. Some of you may not know them because they're all older than me and graduated a few years ago.”

The three witches awkwardly wave.

“Anyway, I'm in their coven,” Laura continues, showing the Book of Shadows cover to the camera. “Like my mom was before me.”

Danny clears her throat. “Uhm, not to interrupt, but… We sorta gotta get goin’.”

Laura nods eagerly and stops recording.

 

They all take seats around Laura's bedroom. “You sure you're up for this?” LaF asks. “Absolutely nothing wrong with needing more of a learning curve. You're already pretty awesome at picking stuff up this fast.”

Laura shakes her head. “No, no! I'm ready.”

“Have you figured out if you have a power, yet?” Perry asks gently.

Laura lets out a sigh and shakes her head again.

“Well, you can cast spells, and that's good enough for me,” Danny says with a wink.

“So odd.” LaF frowns at Laura, observing her carefully. “Most witches exhibit some sort of power when they hit puberty.”

 

“Well, she's not most witches,” Perry points out. “She's half human.”

Danny shrugs. “I'm sure she'll develop them when we need them. Everything happens for a reason.”

 

Laura wrings her hands together, unsure. It had been a large source of insecurity for years, but Danny had always done her best to get rid of as much of it as she could. Besides, Laura was the best at coming up with spells on the spot.

“So… What's the mission?” Laura asks when a few seconds of silence has passed.

Perry perks up excitedly. “Well, there have been reports of some demonic activity in a warehouse downtown. Some warlocks trafficking humans.”

“We're thinking this would be a great first mission for you. Some simple recon with all of us by your side. Since it won't always be like that,” Danny explains.

LaF pulls out a small sack and hands it to Laura with a devious grin. “And, until your powers manifest, here's a bunch of potions to keep you armed.

 

Laura stares in and her eyes widen. “Holy hufflepuff.”

“Yeah, LaFontaine went a bit overboard this time,” Perry sighs.

LaF clicks their tongue. “Look, I just found a way to increase the efficiency of making potions. It actually has to do with increasing the reaction rate by—”

Perry stares at them and they stop talking. She quickly smiles and shakes her head. “By making more of a mess in the kitchen than usual, apparently,” Perry finishes.

Laura giggles and rummages through the bag carefully. “Is it the same color code you used in Magic School?”

LaF nods. “Red square for explosive. Orange circle for stun. Yellow triangle for sleepy-times. Green star for some quick healing properties. Blue for freeze.” They wink. “And the clear ones are for some old-fashioned courage.”

Perry rolls her eyes. “Oh, _LaFontaine_.”

Danny snickers and stands from her chair. “So, whattya say, Hollis? Ready for your first mission?”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The group gets out of the car and wait as Danny easily uses her telekinesis to open the locked front door of the warehouse. They all squint into the darkness.

“Yikes. Guess someone didn't pay their electricity bill,” Laura whispers.

LaF chuckles and raises their hand, a fireball appearing in it to illuminate the area. “We're not splitting up for this one, right?”

Danny shakes her head. “Gotta keep little Laura safe.”

Laura frowns but doesn't say anything.

 

The four of them walk forward together, making sure the first area is clear before moving into the next room. Perry immediately drops back.

“Where's she going?” Laura asks.

“She's gonna stay by the entrance. Just in case any of them get by us,” LaF replies.

They continue forward, with Danny in front and LaF behind Laura.

 _Like they're protecting some precious cargo,_ Laura thinks with a sigh.

She had hoped that once she graduated from magic school, the others would stop being so overprotective of her—especially Danny. But clearly that wasn't going to be the case. _I should probably say something soon. Or this will be a habit I'll have to put up with_.

 

“Don't worry, L,” LaF says, noticing Laura’s drop in mood and slower pace. “Once your whitelighter shows up, you can do whatever you want. Assuming they pass Danny’s scrutiny and standards, of course.”

Laura sighs. “I guess.”

“Hell, if Danny's okay with it, you can probably borrow her whitelighter, Kirsch. Or mine and Perry’s, J.P.”

Laura nods and gives a grateful smile, but it still doesn't do much for her morale.

 

Laura’s still pouting by the time they've cleared the entire warehouse and Danny turns around, frowning. “Huh. That's wei—”

A scream rips through the air and the three of them jump.

“Perry!” LaF yells immediately, running back to the front of the large warehouse.

Danny's eyes widen as she darts off after them. “Wait!”

Laura takes off, too, but she's a considerably slower runner, and no longer has the light from LaF’s fireball to guide her. She makes a wrong turn somewhere and stops, trying to regain her bearings.

 

“What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?” a man’s voice asks from behind her.

Laura jumps and turns around. She has to squint in the darkness and look up to find his face, swallowing hard when she realizes he has at least a foot on her. And probably powers. “Uhm…”

While trying to figure out her next move, he blinks and suddenly vanishes from sight.

 _Blinking. Right. Warlocks can blink and teleport_ , Laura thinks nervously, reaching into her bag for a potion.

Suddenly, she feels strong arms wrap around her and squeeze tight. Laura gasps for air, kicking her legs to try to knock the warlock off balance.

Another warlock blinks in front of her, sneering. “My, my, they're getting smaller and smaller, aren't they?” He pulls out an athame and twirls the weapon in his hand.

 

Laura’s eyes dart around, looking for her bag of potions, which she apparently dropped when her attacker grabbed her.

“If that’s the case,” a female voice drawls from the shadows, “shouldn't you pick on someone your own size?”

The warlocks look towards the speaker, who steps towards them. She's a slender girl, about Laura's height, dressed entirely in black. Laura feels warlock’s grasp on her slacken a bit as he scoffs at the new girl.

“Are you volunteering, witch?”

The girl chuckles. “Don't insult me.”

 

“Get outta here!” Laura yells at the girl.

The other warlock lets out a snarl and swipes at the newcomer, but she disappears in a stream of light blue orbs.

Laura's eyes widen, but she quickly seizes the opportunity to give her legs one strong pump. The attacker stumbles and lets Laura go and she scrambles for her bag and grabs at a potion, feeling for the square sticker.

 

The mysterious girl is gone, and the two warlocks approach Laura with wicked smirks. At the same time, they both blink away.

 _Plan B_ , Laura muses, reaching into her pants pocket with her free hand.

One warlock appears right in front of her, grabbing her by the shoulder and lifting her up, dragging her away from the bag.

Laura whips her phone out from her jeans and turns on the flashlight app, holding it right in front of his face. He lets out a growl and drops her.

“Can't blink if you can't see!” she shouts, flinging the bottle of potion at him. He grabs at the splatter, trying to wipe it off, but quickly explodes in a fiery cloud.

 

The other warlock has reappeared and his mouth drops open at the sight of his comrade being vanquished. He swipes at her with the dagger and nicks her on the arm, planting himself in front of the potion sack.

The warlock comes at her again, but this time Laura is ready. She grabs his arm and uses his own momentum to swing him around, giving the wrist a quick turn until a crack is heard. Laura snatches the athame and, in one fluid motion, jams the dagger into his chest. She steps away and watches as he bursts into flames, screaming in agony.

 

She'd done it.

She'd vanquished her first two demons.

She'd survived her first mission.

 

Slow clapping is heard from behind her. For a moment, she thinks it's Danny, so Laura turns to face it with a beaming grin.

The grin quickly disappears when she realizes it's the girl who orbed out earlier.

The enigmatic girl stops clapping and smirks. “Wow, cupcake. Colored me impressed.”

Laura huffs and crosses her arms. “Who are you?”

“I'm Carmilla. I'm your whitelighter, sweetheart.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've never watched _Charmed_ and I don't explain something well enough, please don't hesitate to ask for an elaboration at any time when reading this :)


	2. New Mark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura deals with the aftermath of her first mission.

“You're… My whitelighter?” Laura asks incredulously.

Carmilla chuckles. “Why is that so hard to believe?”

Laura shrugs. “You're dressed kinda… Dark to be a whitelighter?”

“Naïve provincial girl, much?”

Laura huffs again.

 

“If I wasn't a whitelighter, could I do this?” Carmilla walks closer and her hand hovers over Laura’s cut. A golden glowing light emits from her hand and Laura watches as the cut heals. If it wasn't for some blood spotted on her cut sleeve, Laura could’ve said nothing ever happened.

“Wow. Thanks,” Laura says, looking up from her arm. She didn't realize how close Carmilla was, and from the other girl’s reaction, Carmilla hadn't noticed, either.

Both of their eyes go wide and Carmilla's mouth drops open slightly, as if to catch her breath. Laura's eyes immediately fly to stare at it before she can stop herself. How had she not noticed how pretty she was earlier? _And how long can I stare before it gets creepy?_

 

“Better?”

Laura blinks and looks back up to meet Carmilla's eyes. The question came out so quiet that the heartbeat thudding in Laura's ears was too loud for her to hear it. _What the heck, pull yourself together, Hollis._

Carmilla clears her throat and takes a couple of steps back. “Does that feel better?”

Laura realizes she is fully gaping at Carmilla and shakes her head. “Yea-ppp.”

Carmilla stares at her, amused. “Your body says no, but your mouth says yes, cutie.”

Laura doesn't reply out of fear that she's just going to make more of a fool of herself.

Carmilla furrows her eyebrows together, worry taking over. “Did you hit your head or something?”

 

Laura shakes her head again. “I-I'm fine. I think I might just be in shock.” _Yeah. Sure._ “This was my first encounter alone with anything demonic.”

“Ah.” Carmilla’s smirk returns. “Well, like I said. I'm impressed.” She crosses her arms and sizes Laura up. “No powers, yet?”

Laura sighs, chewing at her lip. “No. I've always been able to cast spells and I can see like, ghosts and stuff. But no actual powers, active or passive.”

Carmilla plants her hands on her hips and chuckles. “Boy, have I got my work cut out for me.”

“Gee. _Thanks_ ,” Laura sighs, making Carmilla chuckle again.

 

There's a loud explosion from the front of the warehouse and Laura's eyes widen. “The others!”

Carmilla grabs Laura as she starts to run past her. “First, do me a favor, cupcake?”

Laura pauses and stares at Carmilla’s hand on her arm.

Carmilla quickly withdraws it and clears her throat. “Don't tell the others you've met me?”

Laura cocks her head to the side, confused. “What? Why not?”

“I… may have jumped the gun a bit showing up here,” Carmilla says softly. “The Elders didn't give the okay to reveal myself to you yet, so I'm technically not supposed to be here.”

“What are they waiting for?” Laura asks.

“I dunno, probably some boring paperwork. Wasn't really listening,” Carmilla shrugs. “So will you keep it to yourself?”

Laura nods slowly. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Great. This relationship is already working out wonderfully already, cutie.”

Laura watches as Carmilla takes a step back. “Why'd you come here if you weren't supposed to?”

“Sensed you were in trouble,” Carmilla replies. “Can't leave a damsel in distress, can I? Even if it turns out you're a dame who can hold her own.” With a wink, Carmilla orbs away.

“Wh…” Laura blinks, confused. “W-were you flirting with me?” she calls after the orbs.

 

Rapid footsteps approach and Danny is the first to round the corner, her eyes wide with fear. “Laura!”

Laura barely has time to brace herself as Danny tackles her in an embrace.

“You're okay!”

LaF and Perry quickly follow Danny in, letting out sighs of relief. “We're so sorry, Laur! We realized you were missing as soon as we got to Perry, but the warlocks closed in around us, and—” Their eyes widen when they see two scorch marks in the floor. “Dude! _Dude_!”

Danny pulls away, looking to see what LaF is gesturing at. Her mouth drops open. “Did you take out two on your own?”

 

Laura nods proudly, beaming up at her friend. “Got one with a potion and another with their own athame.”

LaF cackles with laughter. “That's our girl!”

“I am so proud of you, Laura,” Perry declares, pulling her into a hug. “Did they hurt you?

“Nope,” Laura replies. It's a bit too quick and LaF quirks an eyebrow, but doesn't say anything.

“Great! _Great_ ,” Danny says, giving Laura another squeeze. “This calls for celebration.”

 

Laura pats her bag of potions. “Got some helpers right here,” she giggles.

LaF scoffs. “As if. We're going straight from a bottle. Save those for another time,” they say with a wink.

Danny laughs and heads out, followed by Perry.

Laura starts to head out as well, when LaF falls into pace with her. “Hey, Hollis.”

Laura turns. “Hmm?”

“Nice sleeve,” they reply, hovering with a smirk before walking faster to catch up to Perry.

Laura glances down at her cut sleeve, dotted with some blood.

 

* * *

 

Laura groans, rubbing at her head as she glances around the room.

“Work hard, party harder, am I right?” a voice teases from her desk chair.

Laura lets out a yelp and jumps out of bed. It takes her a moment to focus through her pounding headache at the figure in her room.

“Carmilla?”

She chuckles and leans back in the chair. “Good morning, cupcake.”

Laura groans and flops back into her bed. “ _No_. Very, very _bad_ morning.”

Carmilla stands up and walks over to Laura, crouching on the floor beside the bed so they're on the same eye level. She lets out an amused snort before holding out her hand near Laura's head.

 

A warm light glows for a few moments and eventually Carmilla lowers her hand. “Better?”

Laura cracks her eyes open before sitting up slowly. “Whoa.”

“Is that a yes?”

Laura nods, a dopey grin spreading across her face.

Carmilla shrugs. “You’re crazy, but if you burn out from your first mission, they’ll probably replace you with someone even more insane.”

“What would I do without you?” Laura giggles and gives her a light smack in the shoulder. Carmilla rises and looks at Laura, who nods and shimmies over, patting the bed for her to sit beside her.

 

“I, uh, never thanked you,” Laura says quietly.

“For what?”

“Well, for orbing in to distract the warlocks. If you hadn't shown up…”

Carmilla smirks. “Ah. It's my job,” she replies dismissively.

“But you said you weren't even officially assigned to me and you weren't ordered to help me,” Laura points out.

 

There's a knock and they share a look before Carmilla gives a short wave and orbs out. Laura rises and goes to the door, faced with a hungover Danny.

“Jeez, Hollis! How are you looking all bright and perky, while we all feel like we got hit by a truck?”

 

* * *

 

 

Carmilla orbs into a dark cavern, lit dimly by some candles.

“You know, one of these days I can try to find you some electricity. You can even have some lower level demons use their energy balls to generate lighting,” Carmilla comments dryly.

A figure emerges from the shadows. “How is your new mark?” the tall woman asks, ignoring Carmilla's remark.

“Alive. Although it seems like it'll be a challenge keeping her that way.”

The woman quirks an eyebrow inquisitively.

Carmilla plops down on a nearby couch and examines her nails with a bored expression. “She's got no powers.”

“Really? That _is_ odd.”

“Yeah. She can kick some serious ass, though. Took out two warlocks on her own, first outing.” Carmilla tries to keep her tone bored, but something must have slipped through because she catches the woman staring at her with a wicked curiosity. “Why is she so special, anyway?” Carmilla asks, trying to cover it up.

 

“I'm not entirely sure, dear,” she says, sitting by Carmilla's feet. “All I know is we need her.”

“For the sacrifice.” Once again, Carmilla tries to keep her voice even. This time, she succeeds.

“Yes. For the sacrifice.” She places a hand on Carmilla's, meaning to reassure her, and gives it a squeeze. “Will you be able to deliver her to me when the time is right?”

Carmilla swallows hard. “Yes, Mother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's the first taste of this fic! I'm planning to update the story on Mondays :D  
> The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment below or hit me up on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/) <3  
> Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome and thanks for reading! <3


	3. We All Scream for Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LaF and Perry have gone missing, so Danny has Laura tag along to find them. Carmilla tests Laura to see how much her new mark can handle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic might be kinda weird for any other _Charmed_ fans because I borrow the plot from episodes in some chapters and pretend like there's been no precedence for the events, which is what happens in this update. In others, I'll actually mention stuff that the Charmed Ones did. I'll just throw a warning in the notes in the beginning for any of the TV show fans. And for those of you have never watched the show, I try to explain it for newcomers, so just join for the ride! (But if you've never watched the show, it's on Netflix and you should totes watch it)  
>  Hope you enjoy it!

“—And then I grabbed the other dude’s athame and I just jammed it into his chest and he went POOF. Well, less ‘poof’ and more ‘psshAWWPRRRFMMFFF’—”

There's a knock on the doorframe as Danny tries to hide an amused expression.

Laura pauses her recording and turns, grinning sheepishly.

“Super riveting stuff, Hollis,” Danny comments, snickering.

Laura's grin widens. “Thanks.”

“But perhaps less riveting than your second mission?” Danny asks, looking innocent.

Laura springs out of her chair. “Really? But LaF and Perry haven't returned yet.”

 

Danny's expression grows graver and she crosses her arms. “That's sorta the thing. They should've been back by now. So I wanna go trace their steps. See if something went wrong.”

“A rescue mission?” Laura asks, lowering her voice so as not to seem excited that their friends have gone missing.

Danny nods, giving her a small smile. “Yeah. A rescue mission.”

 

* * *

 

“So, they were looking for missing children in this area…” Danny parks the car and they both step out. “That was the last I heard of them.”

Laura frowns and looks around. There's no park, schools, or daycares nearby. “How old were the kids?”

Danny pulls out a small note pad. “Tweens or so. Old enough to be wandering around by themselves, but too young to be able to know they're in immediate danger and fight back or call for help.”

“Should we split up?” Laura asks, already knowing the answer.

“No,” Danny replies. “We're sticking together.”

 

Laura tries to swallow her disappointment and trails behind Danny.

They circle area a couple times, slowly increasing the radius and asking people about the children, or if they've seen LaF and Perry. They weren't much help, and soon Danny leans against a building with a sigh. “This isn't working.”

Laura frowns. “We need to find something that'd be luring children. I mean, this is kind of a weird area for kids to be taken from, no?”

Danny rubs the back of her neck. “I guess…”

Laura looks around, hoping for some kind of sign. She peers around Danny and her eyes widen in excitement.

 

“Ooh! An ice cream truck!”

Danny lets out a small laugh. “Some things never change. Still got that sweet tooth, huh?”

Laura nods emphatically. “Want anything?”

Danny hesitates before groaning. “Ah, what the hell? One ice cream cone won't kill the diet.”

“Now we're talkin’,” Laura squeals, bouncing over to the truck.

 

She practically visibly deflates when she doesn't see anyone in the window.

“To be fair, the truck didn't have the jingle going. They're probably refueling or on break,” Danny points out.

Laura walks around to the back of the truck. “I don't see anyone. Who would abandon an ice cream truck?”

Danny shrugs and rolls her eyes when Laura reaches out and knocks on the back of the truck.

 

There's no response and Laura knocks again.

“Laura, let's just go. I'm sure there's an ice cream parlor nearb—”

The back doors fly open and a huge gust of wind blasts out of it, immediately followed by an engulfing bright light.

That's the last thing Laura remembers before blacking out.

  

* * *

 

 

“Laura! Lauuuuura! _LAURA_.”

Laura groans and tries to concentrate on the voice calling her name. She forces her eyes open and slowly focuses on the three concerned redheads staring down at her in concern.

“Oh, you found LaF and Perry,” Laura mumbles, sitting up and holding her pounding head.

“Yeah, and they found the missing kids,” Danny replies, gesturing behind her. A group of half a dozen scared children are huddled together.

“That’s great!” Laura gives them a reassuring smile and looks around her. “Where are we?”

 

“In a cave,” LaF replies. “The kids found it and hid us here.”

“There’s some kind of demon that disguises itself as a gust of wind here,” Perry adds. “If you stay outside too long, it whisks you away.”

Laura frowns and musters the courage to ask the next logical question. “How do you know?”

Perry and LaF share an uneasy look as the kids behind them whimper.

Danny clears her throat. “A couple have been taken since LaFontaine and I have been here,” she says softly.

 

Laura nods slowly, already figuring that was the case. “Do we know anything else?”

LaF peers out of the cave while Perry hugs some of the younger of the children, trying to reassure them.

“There’s a portal over there in the clearing that opens whenever anyone is taken. The problem is, whatever the force is, it also comes to the clearing, and we can’t get to the portal.”

Laura frowns pensively. “You can’t get to the portal… because you can’t see where the demonic thingy is before you get there?”

LaF nods. “The kids call it the Nothing.”

 

Laura starts rummaging through her bag of potions. “Do you know if it can only take one kid at a time?”

LaF and Perry look to the kids, who nod.

“What are you thinking, Hollis?” Danny asks.

Before Laura can reply, a portal opens up in the clearing outside the cave.

Danny’s eyes widen as she looks outside. “What the––”

Laura rushes to her side before whirling around. “ _Everyone, head to the portal! Now!”_

Danny gapes at Laura. “But––”

“ _––No time to explain! Go!_ ” Laura barks, herding the kids out as they follow LaF.

 

The entire group darts out as the portal widens.

Two men stick their head through. The taller of the two lets out a chuckle. “Whoa! Dude, did you know this is what the inside of ice cream trucks look like?”

A smaller, paler guy sighs. “Oh, Kirsch. Clearly something is amiss here. Perhaps this is where our charges are?”

“J.P.!” Perry yells as they come into view, making sure all of the kids are in front of her.

“Get these kids out of here, Jeep!” LaF orders, motioning for them to step back through the portal.

 

The gust of wind is getting stronger and Laura struggles with her bag, reaching in for a potion.

All of the kids escape through the portal with J.P. and Kirsch, and Danny motions for LaF and Perry to go through, as well.

“Laura! Come on!” she yells.

Laura goes to throw a potion, but the wind hits her with enough of a force to knock her over. At the same time, it blows Danny out of the portal.

Laura lands on her back with a grunt and she watches in horror as the portal closes. She quickly scrambles to her feet and the wind kicks up again. Laura sprints back to the cave, only stopping when she feels the last trace of the breeze fading. She collapses to the ground, gasping for breath.

 

Suddenly, her memory goes back to her _Basic Witching_ course and the chapter on whitelighters.

 _As long as there is no magical block, calling out their name will summon them to you_.

Laura closes her eyes. “Carmilla?” she calls. There’s a weird feeling in the air, as if a ripple, and Laura can sense a connection. “Carmilla!” she tries again.

A few seconds pass, but nothing happens. Laura frowns and huffs. _Guess I’ll have to get out of here on my own_.

 

The portal doesn’t seem to be opening again and she assumes that whatever demon is holding her here doesn’t intend to open it again when her friends are presumably trying to free her.

Which means either she can try to find a way to open the portal, or just continue with her earlier plan of just flinging potions at the wind. _Doesn’t seem like the most efficient idea after all_ , Laura sighs.

There’s a rustling in the bushes outside the cave and Laura jumps. A figure appears in the opening, but she can’t make out much other than it’s a tall man.

She plants herself in a defensive stance. “Who are you?”

 

“You _let_ them go. You let them _escape_ ,” he snarls.

“Well, yeah. Pick on someone your own age, you demon,” Laura snaps.

He lets out a dry laugh and takes a step closer. “You have no idea what’s going on, do you?”

  

* * *

 

 

“We sensed for you, and narrowed it down to the alleyway,” J.P. explains as the group tries to catch its breath outside the ice cream truck.

“But then I got hungry and thought we could get some ice cream,” Kirsch continues.

“Yeah, that’s how Laura and I found it, too,” Danny says with a small laugh. She runs her hand over the ice cream truck door, but it remains sealed, even when she tries with her power.

LaF sighs and looks at the kids, who seem antsy to leave as they edge out of the alley. “I know you guys wanna go home to your parents,” they begin gently. “But do you have any idea how to force the portal to open?”

 

They exchange looks before one child, the apparent leader of the group, clears his throat. “Nope.”

“Well, how’d you guys even get roped in? We were all searching for you, so we all looked for something that would attract a kid,” LaF says.

Perry nods, catching on. “Yes! Did you children see some sort of driver?”

“Nope,” the kid answers again.

Danny frowns. “Then how…”

There’s a loud whooshing sound behind her and Laura flies out of the portal, crashing onto the ground, with a man beside her.

Danny crouches beside Laura, checking on her.

 

“Don’t let them get away! They’re demons!” Laura yells as soon as she catches her breath, pushing herself up. “The ice cream truck is used to capture demonic children by this driver and they grabbed him in with them!”

The children’s eyes widen and, without hesitation, most of the group pivots and runs from the alley. The leader hovers for a moment longer and whips his hand up, sending Laura flying through the portal alone as it’s closing.

“Laura!” Danny yells.

“Get a child!” the ice cream truck driver shouts. “It’s the only way I can get the portal working again!”

Danny nods and leads the charge as the group runs out of the alley.

 

The ice cream driver growls and slams his hands on the truck doors.

“This is going _so_ badly,” he groans. “Never should’ve left Mister Softee.”

“Imagine how much worse it’ll go if my charge dies in there,” Carmilla says as she orbs in.

He raises an eyebrow. “A bit late and a dollar short, don’t you think?”

“Is that so?” she chuckles ruefully and reaches behind her, throwing a child at him. “Open the damn portal.”

“Kinda rude for a whitelighter, aren’t you?”

The child tries to make a run for it, but Carmilla grabs her and slams her against the truck again. “Also impatient.”

 

He scoffs and raises his hand. The portal reopens.

“Do you think you can manage holding onto one child? Or is that also beyond your capability?” Carmilla snaps.

He grumbles something less-than-complimentary and grabs the kid by the arm. “I’ve got her. Go get your charge.”

Carmilla gives him a sarcastic “rock on” sign before stepping through.

 

And collides right into Laura.

“Ow!”

“Oof!” Laura yelps and takes a couple steps back before realizing it’s Carmilla. Her expression changes from one of confusion, to relief, to annoyance, so Carmilla smirks.

Laura shoves Carmilla. “You buttface!”

Carmilla mocks offense. “Excuse me?”

“I called your name out earlier!”

“Wouldn’t be the first time I heard that,” Carmilla says, adding a wink.

“For the love of Narnia,” Laura groans. “Let’s just get outta here.” She grabs Carmilla and drags her back through the portal.

 

Once they step through, Carmilla lets out a sigh of relief that the ice cream man has managed to hold onto the demonic child.

“You haven't told your friends about me yet, have you?” Carmilla asks.

Laura shakes her head.

“Good. Need you to hold on for just a bit longer, cutie.”

Laura frowns. “Wait, you came to save me against orders again?”

“Rules were meant to be broken,” Carmilla shrugs.

“Not exactly something you wanna be hearing from your whitelighter,” Laura comments, making Carmilla chuckle. She looks over at the small demon child and her mouth drops open. “This wasn't even one of the children in the truck! Did you just grab a random demon child?”

Carmilla starts to reply when she hears footsteps. “Sorry, sweetheart. Gotta go.” She orbs away as Danny comes running into the alley.

 

“Holy crap, she made it out!” Danny yells to Perry behind her. She runs to Laura and grabs her in a hug.

“How'd you manage that?” Perry asks.

Laura opens and closes her mouth a few times before the driver clears his throat. “I, uh, just used my own magic to lure another demon here,” he supplies, gesturing at the small girl beside him. “And then opened the portal that way.”

Laura mouths “thank you” before turning her attention back to her friends. “Where's LaF?”

“Keeping an eye on the rest of kids,” Perry replies, tightening her grip on the one they brought to open the portal. “We should get back to them and deliver the kids to the ice cream man.”

  

* * *

 

 

Danny pulls the car up to the front of their house. Laura bounces out, but Danny grabs her by the arm before she can go in.

“Laura,” she says gently. “I think we all need to talk. About what happened today.”

Laura looks to LaF, who shrugs. The four witches enter the house and head to the living room.

Danny paces while the others sit. “We almost lost you today,” she begins slowly.

“Yeah… But you didn't.” Laura doesn't like where this is going. At all.

Danny stops pacing and stares at Laura for a bit. “I think… you should sit out a mission or two.”

 

Laura springs up immediately. “You _what_?”

Danny stands her ground and swallows hard. “Look. You don't have powers. You're still new to all this. So I think—”

Laura whirls away, staring at LaF and Perry. “What do _you_ guys think?”

“I think you kicked butt today, L. You're the one who found me and Perry, you got us all out, you got the ice cream man out, and you're not dead—which is always a plus.”

They all look at Perry who lets out a soft sigh. “I… I'm not sure.” She wrings her hands together, thinking. “Yes, it's true that Laura figures things out a lot faster than the rest of us. She's more resourceful. And the only way she can continue to provide us with her resourcefulness is with more experience.” Perry frowns. “But at the same time, it's dangerous out there. We can't keep relying on luck and instincts to make up for her lack of basic defense.”

Laura covers her face with her hands. “I can't believe I'm hearing this right now!”

 

Danny crosses her arms. “I'm not saying we bench you forever, Laura. I just think it's safer for you if you sit out some of the more dangerous and unpredictable outings.”

“ _That means you're benching me,_ ” Laura growls.

Perry sighs. “Laura—”

“No!” Laura shouts. “ _Stop talking!_ ”

Perry's mouth clamps shut and Laura glares at them all for a few tense seconds.

Without another word, she storms out and runs into her room, slamming the door. She grabs the Book of Shadows and flings it across the room, hitting the wall, before she sits on her bed and starts sobbing from sheer anger.

 

“Yikes. What did that tome ever do to you?” a voice asks.

Laura wipes away her tears before glancing at the figure that orbed into her room. “Carmilla?”

Carmilla sits in Laura's chair. “What's with the waterworks, buttercup?”

Laura shakes her head with a sob and buries her face in her hands, crying again. They stay like this for a couple minutes before Laura picks her head up and realizes Carmilla hasn't left.

In fact, she's regarding her with a weird sort of curiosity.

 

“Feel better, yet?”

Laura lets out a rueful laugh. “Yeah. I feel _great_.”

Carmilla folds her arms over her chest and frowns. “I've got nowhere else to be. Take your time, if you wanna tell me. If not, that's fine, too.”

Laura blinks, startled by this side of her whitelighter.

Carmilla chuckles. “I _am_ capable of empathy, y'know?”

Laura lets out a sigh and takes a deep, shaky breath.

 

“Did you know Danny, Perry, and I grew up together?” Laura asks. Carmilla shakes her head. “Their parents and my mom were in a coven together, and lived here, too. We all grew up here until they got sent off to Magic School at age five. I visited them, but I wasn't allowed to stay. Mom didn't want me raised as a witch and thought it was too dangerous since I wasn't a full witch.”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow. “Your dad isn't a witch?”

Laura shakes her head. “Human. And then my mom got killed and my dad didn't know how to handle a kid who could do magic and could like, do stuff if she accidentally rhymed. So when I was seven I went to magic school without powers.”

Carmilla stares at her, her usual sarcasm gone and replaced with a genuine and kind look that surprises Laura.

“Except Danny got super protective of me. Perry, less so. And I thought maybe it was coz we were young or coz we were in Magic School, but ever since I graduated and came here, they're still treating me with kid gloves. And I already had enough self doubt about myself coming into this whole thing, and now it's like they're making me feel more useless than I already felt, and—”

“Alright, alright, okay,” Carmilla interrupts, her previous warmth gone again. “Stop all of this before I get queasy.”

 

She stands up and walks to Laura, sitting on the bed beside her. Laura stops talking and stares at Carmilla as she takes a deep breath.

“I did hear you calling me earlier in the ice cream truck,” Carmilla confesses.

“You _did_?” Laura squeaks. “Then why didn't you come?”

Carmilla averts her gaze. “I wanted to see what you were capable of,” she admits. “I mean, I already saw it with the warlocks. But that was a combat thing. I wanted to see if you had the wits and instinct to go with it. And you do.”

She looks back up and the warmth has returned in her eyes.

“Cupcake, you've got more raw talent in your tiny pinky than they do their entire body,” Carmilla says with a chuckle. “ _You_ found that ice cream truck. _You_ found a way for all of them to get out. _You_ got the driver back out. That was all _you_. Not them. _You_.”

 

She gives Laura an affectionate nudge on the arm.

“So what if you don't have powers? You've got your brain and your determination. Don't let them take that from you. And don't let them make you feel any less than you are, which is nothing short of amazing.”

Laura's sniffles but gives her a grateful smile.

Carmilla rises with a smirk. “Now, stop your crying and your moping. There’s a whole world of magic out there, waiting for one annoying Laura Hollis to discover it.” She orbs out, leaving Laura gaping at her.

 

She sits for a few moments, waiting for everything Carmilla just said to sink in. Then, she stands up and goes to her computer and opens the recording program, taking a deep breath before pressing the record button.

 

“Hey, viewers! So, today I went to find some missing children…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the great feedback so far :)  
> I'm planning for a Monday update schedule  
> The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment here or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/) <3  
> Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome and thanks for reading! <3 :D


	4. Spell It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla struggles with her orders and decides to visit Laura, which only leads to more questions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, my Netflix history must look real weird while I'm writing this fic. It's pretty much been me opening random eps of _Charmed_ , skipping to one part to refer to something, and then closing it. But I'm trying to keep this as enjoyably close for other TV fans as possible :P  
> Hope you enjoy this one!

Carmilla orbs in and looks around the cavern. “Mother?”

“Darling, there you are,” the Dean says, coming from a separate room and giving Carmilla a hug. She gestures at the couch and they both settle in. “How are you?”

Carmilla shrugs. “Okay.”

“And how is your new charge? Did you manage to save her with that child you borrowed from me, who I’ll probably never get back?”

Another shrug. “Fine.”

The Dean narrows her eyes with a smirk. “Carmilla…”

“She’s great,” Carmilla says, rolling her eyes. “She’s resourceful and she has initiative and drive and––” She crosses her arms. “She’s too good to just be _sacrificed_.”

The Dean holds up her hands in surrender. “My girl, her sacrifice is not determined by me. It was foretold.”

“ _By you._ ”

 

“By the Powers That Be,” she insists gently. She takes a deep breath and places her hand on Carmilla’s knee. “If this Laura Hollis is as amazing as you say she is, then that is all the more reason why she is the sacrifice.”

Carmilla starts to say something, but then seems to think better of it.

The Dean raises an eyebrow. “Is there a problem?”

Carmilla shakes her head. “Nope.”

“Good.” She gives Carmilla a quick peck on the cheek. “Now, run along and keep an eye on her.”

Carmilla sighs and orbs out.

 

She finds herself wondering if she really can let Laura get sacrificed.

  

* * *

 

Carmilla orbs straight to Laura’s location, vaguely aiming for the first empty space she can find. She blinks in surprise when she winds up in a bathroom. _A funky smelling bathroom_.

She cracks the door open and almost collides with a woman in scrubs.

“Uhm, dear, that bathroom is for residents only,” she says. “Bathroom for visitors is in the lobby.”

Carmilla gives a small nod. “Right, sorry. My mistake.”

 

“Carmilla?”

Carmilla smiles at hearing Laura's voice. She gives a small wave as the smaller girl practically skips over.

“Oh, Laura, is this a friend of yours?” the nurse asks.

Laura nods. “Yup!”

The nurse chuckles and walks away, saying, “Nice to meet you.”

Carmilla smirks at Laura. “We're friends, huh?”

“Well, what am I supposed to say? ‘She's my guardian angel that appears _sometimes_ when I do witchy things?’”

Carmilla chuckles and looks around them, her eyebrows slowly furrowing. “What the soggy heck?”

 

Laura grins and gestures at the room they're in. “Welcome to the Styria Elderly Extended Care Facility Recreation Room!”

Carmilla frowns, looking at a group of older people in wheelchairs parked in front of a television. “What kind of geriatric hell is this?”

Laura swats at her. “Be nice.” She starts to make her way into the room, trailed by a hesitant Carmilla. Laura refills the cups of some of the residents sitting nearby, brightly greeting them all by name as she pours their water.

 

She eventually goes to stand in a corner and Carmilla follows.

“So are we casing the joint for a demon?” Carmilla asks, lowering her voice.

Laura giggles. “The only joint of interest here is that titanium knee Mr. Xander has.” She shakes her head. “I've been volunteering here for years, whenever I was allowed out of Magic School.”

“Of course you have,” Carmilla grumbles. “Shoulda known your favorite pastime is playing bingo with the croakers.”

Laura scoffs. “And what are _you_ doing here? I'm not in danger. I didn't call for you.”

Carmilla swallows hard. She hadn't thought of needing that kind of excuse.

 

“Came by to check on you after the other day,” she says smoothly.

Laura frowns and doesn't reply.

“It's going _that_ good in that house, huh?”

Before Carmilla can continue to pester Laura, there's a loud commotion down the hall outside the rec room.

Laura runs out immediately, but when Carmilla heads out, the nurses stop her by crowding around the incident. She decides to hang back and wait for Laura, trying and failing to make anything out.

 

Laura approaches her almost half an hour later.

“What's happening, sundance?” Carmilla asks.

Laura looks a bit shaken and takes a few deep breaths.

“A patient died,” she says, almost inaudibly. “She….” Her voice cracks and she stops talking.

 

The nurse from earlier walks up to them. “Oh, Laura, honey. I'm so sorry. I know you were very close to Mrs. Willow.” She pulls Laura into a hug and Carmilla hears a muffled sob against her shoulder.

The elevator opens and a couple cops step out of it.

The nurse steps back. “I have to go speak to them. Will you be okay?”

Laura nods and sniffles. “Thanks, Natalie.”

“Keep an eye on my girl,” she says to Carmilla, who does a small salute.

 

Laura lets out a shaky breath.

“Anything I can do to help?” Carmilla asks without thinking.

Laura pauses before looking over at Carmilla, a twinkle in her eyes.

“Oh, I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?”

  

* * *

 

 

“B7,” Carmilla calls out flatly. “Does anyone have bingo after B7?”

An old woman raises her hand to signal bingo, but Carmilla narrows her eyes in a glare. “Lady, you haven't gotten a single one so far, put your damn hand down.”

The woman gapes at her, offended, while others gasp. “Why, I never!”

“Yeah, that's right, as in you'll _never_ get bingo,” Carmilla snaps.

 

Laura has just stepped into the room and her eyes widen. She quickly runs to the front of the room, pushing Carmilla out of the way. “Sorry another that. Uhm, how about we just move onto the ice cream social?”

Everyone seems too grateful as they abandon their bingo cards.

“What is wrong with you?” Laura groans.

Carmilla scoffs. “That woman was guilty of elderly recreation gaming dishonesty!”

“Are you even hearing yourself right now?” Laura snaps, dragging Carmilla into the hallway.

 

“Is this where we make our daring daylight escape?” Carmilla teases.

“You can leave if you want,” Laura says, hushed. “But something’s weird with Mrs. Willow’s dearh.”

“How so?”

“Well… There's no body.” Laura sighs. “It was just a pile of clothes and… steam.”

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “Steam?”

“Like she evaporated?” Laura tries hesitantly.

“‘Weird’ is definitely one word for it.” Carmilla frowns.

 

Laura groans and sits down on a hallway chair. “I don't even know where to begin with what the problem could be.”

Carmilla sits down on a chair next to her. “Oh, come on, deflated creampuff.” She nudges Laura. “Let's start with what you _do_ know.”

Laura sighs, running a hand through her hair. “Mrs. Willow was one of the residents here who was also fighting cancer. She had a son, but they’re estranged.”

She looks over at Carmilla, unsure. Carmilla gives her a small nod, encouraging her to continue.

“She mostly kept to herself…” Laura frowns. “Well, she _was_ close friends with only one of the other residents.” She looks around the hallway. “But I haven't seen Miss Warren all day.”

Laura stands up and walks to the nurse from earlier.

 

“Hey, Natalie. Have you seen Miss Warren?”

There's a moment of hesitation before she replies. “Oh, I thought you knew. She got discharged last night.”

Laura cocks her head to the side, confused.

“Her hips miraculously started feeling better. She was practically doing laps in the hallways,” Natalie elaborates.

This seems to appease Laura, who quickly thanks her before returning to Carmilla.

 

“We need to pay Miss Warren a visit,” Laura says with a fiery determination that makes Carmilla smile.

 

* * *

 

 

Laura rings the doorbell and Carmilla chuckles while watching her fidget impatiently. “Relax, cupcake. Your blood pressure is gonna give this old lady a run for her money.”

“That's the only thing about me that'll be running, I'm afraid,” a voice quips from the other side of the door. It slowly creaks open and Laura immediately plasters a polite smile across her face.

“Hello, Miss Warner! May we come in?”

 

A small old lady gives a slight nod and backs up with her walker, gesturing for them to follow. “Of course, Laura,” she says warmly.

They settle in in the living room, with Carmilla awkwardly settling in on a couch beside Laura.

“Isn't visiting homes slightly beyond the job description of a volunteer, dear?”

Laura chuckles. “Well, I went in today and found out you got discharged, and I wanted to… see how you're doing.”

Miss Warren laughs heartily. “I'm doing just fine.” She gestures at Carmilla. “And who is your friend?”

“Carmilla Karnstein,” Laura supplies when Carmilla simply stares at the lady.

 

“You, ah, seem familiar,” Miss Warren says vaguely.

Carmilla shrugs. “I have one of those faces, I guess.”

Miss Warren doesn’t seem convinced, but her attention wanders back over to Laura, who looks like she’ll burst into tears at any moment. “What’s really wrong, sweetie?”

There’s a few moments of silence before Laura speaks softly. “Mrs. Willow passed away.”

Miss Warren looks absolutely shocked. “I… No. That’s… That’s impossible!”

Laura nods. “She passed away this morning.”

“F-From the cancer?”

Laura shakes her head, wiping away a tear that’s fallen down her face. “It wasn’t by natural means. She was murdered.”

“ _WHAT?_ ” Miss Warren practically leaps out of her seat, making both Carmilla and Laura jump.

“Sh-She… It was under unusual circumstances,” Laura elaborates. “All that was left of her was her clothes on the floor…”

 

The color drains from Miss Warren’s face and she looks ready to collapse. Laura rushes over to her side and helps her sit back down. “I thought someone should come tell you in person,” Laura explains sadly. “You two were so close.”

Miss Warren is now unsettlingly silent and Laura and Carmilla share a look.

“Miss Warren?” Laura tries.

Carmilla scoffs and stands next to Laura to examine their host. “Great, we killed a little old lady.”

Laura shoots her a glare before Miss Warren begins mumbling.

“Found us… Is angry… Won’t stand for this…”

Laura frowns. “Miss Warren, do you know who did this to Mrs. Willow?”

 

Suddenly, Miss Warren’s eyes widen at something behind them. Laura whirls around to find a man standing in their living room.

“Who are you?” she demands.

He sneers and crosses his arm. “Cryto.”

Miss Warren lets out a whimper. “We’re sorry! We didn’t know––”

He lets out a cruel laugh. “A deal was a deal. Pay your debt.”

She shakes her head. “No! I’ve changed my mind. Can’t you just… undo your magic, and I’ll just–– I’ll go back to the rehab!”

“Oh, you’re old enough to know better than that,” he replies, a malicious glint in his eye.

 

Laura stands protectively in front of Miss Warren, blocking her from view. Carmilla steps in front of Laura, surprising her and making her do a double take before redirecting her attention to the matter at hand.

“I don’t know what’s going on here,” Laura declares, “but if you’re the one who killed Mrs. Willow––”

Cryto rolls his eyes. “Stay out of this, girl.”

Laura shakes her head. He’s clearly had enough and, with a wave of his hand, both Carmilla and Laura go flying across the room and slam into the wall with a grunt.

Cryto walks towards Miss Warren. “Please! Just take back the magic that fixed my hip!”

“Oh, I don’t think so,” he says, a wicked smirk appearing.

 

Laura pushes herself up and runs at him. He turns and sighs, bored.

“Laura!” Carmilla calls out, too late.

Cryto thrusts his hand forward at Laura, and she gets flung away, this time harder. She crashes through the front window and lands on the lawn outside.

Carmilla orbs outside and grabs Laura by the shoulders, giving them a gentle shake. “Laura?”

When there’s no reply, she quickly holds her hand over Laura’s face, and the cuts start healing. Carmilla moves onto the scrapes on Laura’s torso when she begins to stir. “Where…”

There’s shouting from inside. “Please! Can’t you just take one of the other two witches’ sons? Natalie––”

“You’re a pathetic old witch. And I’m putting you out of your misery.”

Laura gasps and springs to her feet. She and Carmilla watch in horror as it’s too late and Cryto puts his hand on Miss Warren and she melts into her clothes, resulting in a crumpled mess and steam.

“No!” Laura cries out. He turns towards her and Carmilla immediately grabs Laura by the wrist, orbing them away into their car a couple blocks away.

 

“W-We need to go back there––” Laura sobs in the driver’s seat. “We… We can’t…”

“Stop, stop!” Carmilla grabs Laura’s arms and shakes her, but she’s still blubbering. “CUPCAKE. Listen to me!”

Laura blinks hard and sniffles, stopping her antics as she closes her eyes, trying to slowly down her breathing.

“If we go back there, he will kill you! Cryto feeds on witches!” Carmilla sighs, trying to calm down herself. “There is nothing else you could’ve done. Do you understand?”

Laura swallows hard and meets Carmilla’s eyes. “Yeah.”

Carmilla releases Laura and they both let out a long breath.

 

“But we have to do _something_ ,” Laura eventually says softly. “They can’t just die the way they did because of some mistake. They deserve better than that. Everyone does.”

“Is that so?” Carmilla asks softly, her dry tone suggesting something left unsaid.

Laura stares at her unreadable expression. “Of course.” She has a small hunch and swallows hard. “Even you.”

Carmilla looks taken aback for a moment and pauses before she gives a small chuckle. “You wouldn’t be you if you thought otherwise.”

Laura laughs lightly.

 

“Cryto can grant youth and take away physical ailments, but he can only be summoned by three witches. If Mrs. Willow was one and Miss Warren was another, there’s still one left out there, assuming he hasn’t gone after them yet.” Carmilla looks over at Laura. “Were they close to anyone else at the rehab?”

Laura shakes her head. “No, they mostly kept to themselves. They really only spoke to me and the nursing staff–– I wasn’t there often since I’m just a volunte––” She cuts herself off.

“What?”

“Right before Cryto killed Miss Warren, she said…” Laura swallows hard. “She said _Natalie’s_ name.”

 

* * *

 

 

Nurse Natalie glances over her shoulder nervously.

“Geez, Nat, you’re pretty jumpy today,” a voice comments from beside her. “Not that I can blame you, what with Mrs. Willow’s death this morning. You two were pretty close,” the other nurse continues.

“Yeah,” Natalie mumbles.

Rapid footsteps make their way down the hall towards the nursing station, making her jump.

“Oh! Hi, Laura,” the other nurse greets.

Laura gives a quick wave before grabbing Natalie and all but dragging her into a small office.

 

“What are you doing?” she demands, staring at Carmilla and Laura. They share a look before deciding there was no time to waste.

“Cryto is after you,” Laura blurts out. “He killed Mrs. Willow this morning, and he just killed Miss Warren.”

Natalie is taken aback. “H-How do you know about that?”

Carmilla groans. “We don’t have _time_ for this, you stupid potato. How do you get rid of him?”

Natalie wrings her hands together, stammering. “I— I don’t remember but… Well, the details are in Mrs. Willow’s room. But it needs three witches.”

“On it,” Laura says, whipping out her cellphone. It rings until it goes to voicemail and Laura sighs exasperatedly. “Danny, LaF, Perry, we have a huge situation going on right now! One of you needs to come to the rehab I volunteer at _as soon as possible_.”

She hangs up and turns her attention back to the twitchy nurse.

“To Mrs. Willow’s room. Now.”

 

The trio heads down the hall, with Natalie looking more and more guilty by the minute. “I-I didn’t know,” she mumbles. “They came to me saying this was the last hope for Mrs. Willow’s cancer. And it would fix Miss Warren’s hip. But it required three witches, and the other member of their coven died years ago. All they needed from me was my help and a sacrifice from each of us.”

Carmilla’s eyes widen. That’s how the witch recognized her. _The other member of their coven must have been a sacrifice_.

Laura glances over and frowns. “Sacrifice?” she asks, jolting Carmilla out of her thoughts.

Natalie nods, wiping her eyes. “A firstborn.”

Laura’s mouth hangs open and Natalie lets out a sob.

“I know, it’s horrible! But I just found out I’m pregnant and I have Huntington’s and––“ Her voice cracks and she buries her face in her hands. “It’s inexcusable and as soon as we realized what we’d done, we all tried to take it back. We tried to undo it when we realized we didn’t want to give up our firstborns. But I guess it was too late.”

Laura lets Natalie go in first before following. “Look, what’s done is done. I just need someone from my coven to come here and we can––”

 

“Can, what?” a voice asks from across the room. Cryto stares at them, amused. “Reneging on your deal, are you? Don’t tell me you’re going to beg like those before you?”

Laura snatches the paper from a frozen Natalie.

“Girl, you can’t do that spell. You’re missing a witch,” he sneers.

Laura ignores him, reading over the spell silently. After a few moments, she hands it back to Natalie. “Read it.”

Natalie stares at her, bewildered. “What? There’s only two of us.”

Carmilla looks as confused as Natalie and shrugs at her.

“Do it!” Laura commands, taking Natalie’s hand in hers.

Natalie doesn’t wait another moment.

“ _What witches done and then undone / Return this spirit back within / and separate him from his skin_ ,” she cites simultaneously with Laura. The spell is done with such a force that it feels like there’s another presence in the room, magnifying the effects.

 

Cryto looks shocked as he lets out a loud pained groan and grabs his chest. He quickly crumples to the ground. In an instant, he’s a melted puddle, his screams echoing away.

Carmilla and Natalie gape at Laura.

Laura offers a sheepish shrug and a nervous chuckle. “I, uh, wasn’t sure that would work.”

Carmilla shakes her head with a scoff. “Back it up, creampuff. What. The. Hell. Was that?”

Laura stammers a bit. “A couple times in Magic School during group projects, I was able to do a spell and this would happen. It’s like my participation would strengthen the spell and less people could perform it with the same effect.”

“What’s your power?” Natalie asks.

“I don’t have one,” Laura replies.

Carmilla frowns. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”

“Then what would it be? Amplified spell-casting? How lame is that?” Laura asks.

Carmilla shrugs. “I’m gonna go… see what I can find out about this.” She orbs out, leaving Laura and Natalie to stare at each other.

 

Footsteps echo down the hall towards the room. Danny, LaF, and Perry burst into the room.

“We’re here!” LaF shouts breathlessly.

Laura giggles and brushes past the confused witches with Natalie.

“What can we do to help?” Danny asks, trailing after them.

Natalie shrugs and hands Danny a large metal object. “Mr. Xander needs to use the bedpan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the awesome feedback, y'all!  
> The fic follows a Monday update schedule, and is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome and thanks for reading! <3 :D


	5. Where Wolf?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny and Laura are checking out a missing persons case during a full moon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's kinda short coz I needed something to set up the next chapter.  
> BUT as compensation-- I've decided to change the update schedule to Wednesdays. Which means instead of a week, the next one will come this Wednesday :D  
> Enjoy!

“ _You don't gotta go to work, work, work, work, work, work, work / But you gotta put in work, work, work, work, work, work, work,_ ” Laura belts out in the passenger seat.

Danny rolls her eyes but chuckles as Laura starts fist pumping. “I’ve missed you, dork.” She laughs and gives Laura a playful shove. Laura stops her jamming session and looks over at Danny, a huge grin on her face.

“What?” Danny asks, turning off the main road onto a side road.

The grin fades as Laura chews her lip and shrugs.

Danny sighs. “Look, I know it’s been tough transitioning from Magic School to living with us. It’s an adjustment for all of us–– especially when you don’t have powers.” She lets out a small laugh. “Hell, Perry was so anxious that the glove compartment is packed to the brim with stuff like glow sticks, some knives, a flare gun, a couple of snack bars…”

Laura giggles and opens it. Sure enough, it’s stuffed full. She pulls out a snack bar and offers one to Danny, who shakes her head.

“I’m just hoping this weird series of animal attack reports doesn’t require us to wait for LaF and Perry,” Danny says. “It’s already dark out with a full moon and Kirsch is away on some whitelighter retreat so we’re on our own.”

 

Laura opens her mouth, about to blurt out that they also have Carmilla. She stops herself, unsure, since Carmilla hasn’t explicitly told her it’s okay, yet. _But it’s been a few weeks…_

Then again, Carmilla is also very unconventional, and Danny is very protective. If a whitelighter doesn’t pass Danny’s expectations and scrutiny…

Danny glances over, realizing Laura’s debating on saying something, when suddenly something jumps out of the bushes on the side of the road.

Laura’s eyes widen. “Danny! Look ou––” 

 

* * *

 

 

Laura groans, her head ringing as she forces her eyes open. She makes out some fuzzy grunts outside of the car and tries to focus.

The large beast that was in the middle of the road is on top of Danny, who’s struggling to propel it off her with her telekinesis and failing.

Laura undoes her buckle and rolls out of the car. The monster immediately charges at Danny again, managing to swipe at her, drawing blood. Danny lets out a gasp.

“ _Get away from her!_ ” Laura yells. To her surprise, it actually halts its attack. Instead, it whirls to face Laura.

“No!” Danny yells, waving her hand. A huge tree branch smacks into the beast and it flees into the trees.

 

Laura rushes over to Danny, examining the cut. It looks raw and is bleeding slightly, but nothing too serious. “Are you okay?”

Danny winces but nods.

“What the hell was that?” Laura asks. “It looked like a watered-down werewolf.”

Danny shrugs. “We should probably get out of here before it decides to come back, though.”

Laura nods and looks back at their totaled car. She pulls out her cell phone. “No signal,” she sighs.

 

“Me neither,” Danny notes. She gestures up the road, back the way they came. “Let’s walk until we get something back.”

Laura shrugs off her cardigan and wraps it around Danny’s arm as they start walking. “You sure you’re okay?”

Danny frowns. “I think I’m starting to get a fever.”

“Yikes. Hope it’s not infected,” Laura pouts, securing the cardigan.

 

Within minutes, Danny starts shivering and sniffling. “H-Hollis, I don’t think this is an infection,” she stammers.

Laura unwraps the cardigan as fast as she can and they both let out a gasp. “Is… Is that _hair_ growing on your wound?”

Danny groans and holds her head, stumbling a bit as Laura tries to hold her steady. “I know what that thing was,” she mumbles.

“What was it?”

“A wendigo,” Danny says. “I-I think I’m turning into one.”

Laura stares up at the full moon. “ _Crap_.”

“You need to get out of here,” Danny says, her breathing getting labored.

Laura shakes her head. “I’m not leaving you like this.”

 

Danny shoves Laura away from her. “Get away from me,” she growls.

“ _No_ ,” Laura insists stubbornly.

Danny waves her hand and a rock soars through the air at Laura. Laura dodges it with a squeak, staring at Danny with a pained expression.

“ _Run_ ––”

That’s the only warning Laura gets before Danny changes into a beast right before her.

Laura’s eyes widen and she starts to run back the way they came. She’s too slow, and Danny is on her in a moment. Laura falls to the ground, the wind knocked out of her as Danny snarls in her face.

Laura quickly grabs the rock Danny threw at her earlier. She smashes it against the side of Danny’s head and as she recoils in an agonized howl, Laura manages to roll out from under her.

 

She runs to their abandoned car and dives in, closing the door.

“Carmilla!” Laura screams out. “Carm!”

A few seconds go by and there’s no answer.

“If you’re testing me, right now would be a great time to _cut it out_ ,” Laura yells.

She turns to the rearview mirror, and groans when she realizes Danny is nowhere in sight.

“Okay, okay, Hollis. You can do this,” she whimpers. “Think back to your course about Transforming Demonic Creatures.”

With a metallic crunch, the car door flies away, revealing an angry, bleeding wendigo in the distance.

“Oh. Right. Wendigo keep their powers even after transforming. Swell.”

 

There’s another growl from behind her and she turns to see the earlier wendigo right outside her car.

“Crap!” Laura squeaks. “ _Carmilla_!”

The other wendigo grabs the car and gives it a hard shake and snarls at the driver’s window, making Laura yelp.

Danny is now closer and for a moment, Laura thinks she’ll be outnumbered. Instead, Danny walks around the car and holds out her arm, roaring at the other wendigo as it’s sent flying away from the car.

 _Whoa. Protective of me even in this state_ , Laura thinks. She quickly racks her brain, trying to remember what else she learned about wendigos in Magic School.

Except she’s drawing a blank because LaF was too busy studying for their own exams that she couldn’t get them to help her study with their usual flare for book smarts.

 _That’s it_. Laura reaches into the car’s glove compartment.

 

She flinches as the other wendigo tackles Danny and both beasts crash to the ground, roaring and wrestling.

Laura rummages around before gripping the flare gun and quickly loads it before jumping out of the car.

“Dang it,” she curses, realizing she can’t tell which wendigo is Danny. She runs back to the car and grabs a knife out of the glove compartment. “Bella Swan, I may not always agree with your choices, but please don’t fail me now,” she whispers.

She goes back to the fray and inhales sharply as she draws blood from her forearm with the knife. One wendigo perks its head up, concern in its eyes.

The other immediately spins and charges at Laura, who quickly pulls out the flare gun and fires it, praying her plan worked. She flinches from the sound and only opens her eyes when she hears it thud on the ground.

Laura stares at the man before her and lets out a small sigh of relief. She turns and sees Danny, back in her human form, as she collapses. Laura rushes to her side, but Danny only seems to have passed out from exhaustion.

 

“Whoa. Missed a wild party, huh?”

Laura turns towards the voice, anger already stinging at her eyes. “Carmilla, where the heck _were_ you?” she growls.

Carmilla swallows hard, looking guilty. “I…” She notices a cut on Laura’s head from the car crash, as well as the cut on her arm. “You’re hurt.”

“Damn right I’m hurt,” Laura snaps. “I called you a bunch of times!”

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “I meant, you’re _bleeding_ , cupcake.” She walks over and heals the cuts, watching as Laura visibly relaxes a bit.

“Why didn’t you come?” Laura asks, more softly. “I thought by now you’d be done testing me. Even the Watcher’s Council didn’t test Buffy this much.”

Carmilla frowns at the obvious pain in her voice. “I was handling something in the Underworld, cutie. Can’t hear you when I’m down there.” She tucks back a loose strand of hair. “And you’ve more than impressed me by now, I promise.”

 

Laura gives a small shy smile. “Fine.”

Carmilla glances around them. “So what actually happened here?”

“Wendigo attack,” Laura replies. “I recognize the guy from the info Danny dug up on the case. He was reported missing in the area and must’ve killed the others.”

Carmilla’s mouth drops open and Laura giggles. “You… Y-You took on two Wendigo?”

Laura nods sheepishly, trying to ignore the smoldering body nearby.

“By yourself?”

Another nod.

Carmilla runs a hand through her hair. “Jesus Christ.” She takes a closer look at the man Laura shot with a flare gun. “I’ll, uh, take care of this dude after I drop you and Raggedy Ann off at your coven.”

 

“Thanks,” Laura says. “What are you gonna do with him?”

Carmilla shrugs. “Pose him in your backyard as a scarecrow?”

Laura narrows her eyes in a glare.

Carmilla smirks and gestures for Laura to grab Danny’s hand so they can orb out. “I mean, it’ll give your house more of a flare…”

Laura groans. “You suck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has changed to a _Wednesday_ update schedule  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment here or hit me up on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Thanks for reading and stay awesome!! <3 :D


	6. Is There a Woogy in the House?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura is left alone in the house. Carmilla visits, trying to get a bit of history on the coven. When there's an earthquake, it frees something underneath the house, leading to a massive blowup and some revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another one drawn from a _Charmed_ episode :D  
>  Plus the answer to "what are Laura's powers?"  
> (Also for the purposes of visualization, let's just assume their coven house matches the Charmed Ones' manor-- a dining room attaching the living room and kitchen, where the kitchen leads to the basement, and the living room has a staircase that leads to the bedrooms on the second floor and an attic)

“Now, if I were Perry, where would I put the vacuum cleaner?” Laura asks herself.

“Probably somewhere out of reach from the short housemate that talks to herself,” Carmilla replies as she orbs in.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Please, you’re only, like, an inch taller than me.”

Carmilla smirks as she flops onto the couch. “Why don’t you just ask someone where it is?”

“Perry and LaFontaine took Danny to some magical doctor to make sure there’s no lingering effects from the whole Wendigo incident,” Laura replies, rooting around in a closet.

Carmilla gets up and leans against the doorframe of the closet. “Ah, yes. How did they take the news that their precious little Laura murdered someone?”

Laura sighs. “I think a part of them doesn’t believe it. Hence the doctor visit.”

“I mean, I guess if Danny is still a Wendigo, you guys would have a dog eat scraps off your floor three nights a month. If that’s not a thing she does already.”

 

Laura pokes her head out to pout in Carmilla’s face. “Did you have a purpose for coming here, or was it just to annoy me?”

“I was bored,” Carmilla says with a shrug.

Before Laura can fire back a reply, there’s a deep rumbling noise. Soon, the house begins to shake. “What the––”

Some boxes in the closet behind Laura fly off the shelves towards her. Carmilla’s eyes widen and she yanks Laura away, unprepared as Laura stumbles and trips into Carmilla. They both fall to the ground with a grunt and Carmilla gets the wind knocked out of her.

The rest of the stuff in the closet come shooting out and land on top of Laura as she shields Carmilla.

 

A few seconds pass before the house returns to stillness and Laura lets out a groan.

Carmilla quickly shoves the boxes off Laura. “Shit! Are you okay?”

“Ow,” Laura moans against Carmilla’s collarbone. She waits for a few seconds and that’s all it takes for Carmilla to become very aware that Laura’s breath is tickling her. Laura finally pushes herself up slowly.

Carmilla takes a moment to recompose herself before scrambling to her feet. “Are you okay?” she repeats.

Laura nods, wincing. “I think so.”

She stretches and Carmilla’s eyes involuntarily wander to the small patch of skin that reveals that Laura has honest-to-god _abs_.

“…Carmilla?”

Carmilla blinks and realizes Laura asked her something. “Huh?”

“I asked if you’re okay after I landed on you,” Laura giggles.

“Oh. Yeah. I’m great, cutie,” Carmilla drawls.

 

They quickly put everything back into the closet.

“Do you guys get a lot of earthquakes around here?” Carmilla asks.

Laura nods. “Not too often, but I do remember a few while growing up here. I think they’re a little stronger in the house because the coven was built on a ground with some strong energy below us.”

Carmilla hums in response, as Laura looks pensive.

“Maybe the vacuum cleaner is in the basement?” Laura wonders out loud, heading over with Carmilla trailing behind her.

She grabs a flashlight and hesitates at the front step.

“Scared of the dark, cutie?” Carmilla teases.

Laura glares at her and shakes her head, descending purposefully.

She starts rummaging through the mess.

 

A couple minutes pass as Laura starts pacing between piles.

“What happened to everyone else’s parents?” Carmilla asks as tactfully as possible. _All part of the Laura puzzle_.

Laura makes a disgusted noise at some dust she’s accidentally run her hand through. “All the remaining witches died in the same attack that killed my parents,” Laura replies. “Perry’s dad and Danny’s mom had died before, when we were infants.”

Carmilla frowns. “What about the other one? The one with the short hair?”

Laura moves onto another pile, wiping her hands on her pants. “LaF’s, uhm…” She sighs. “Special.”

“How so?”

 

“They’re half-witch, half-demon.” Laura turns to find Carmilla’s mouth dropped open. “Their mother didn’t know their father was a demon, and their father didn’t know their mother was a witch. The father got vanquished by the coven, and of course the union was frowned upon. Since the house is built over a Nexus, they didn’t want LaF’s magic to throw off the coven’s balance, so they had to be raised outside of the coven. Their mother left to raise them outside, which was pretty scary because that mean they were farther from the Nexus’s strength.”

“Sounds rough,” Carmilla comments.

Laura shrugs. “Their mom stayed in contact with our parents, and we saw them a lot, so it wasn’t too big of a deal. We thought it was cool that they could throw fireballs. Once they started Magic School, she came back to the coven.”

 

She lets out a small gasp of discovery and pulls out a vacuum cleaner, posing with it triumphantly.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “You dork.”

Laura shrugs it off and hovers at the bottom of the stairs.

“Ladies first,” Carmilla says.

“If you _really_ wanted to be polite, you'd help me carry this,” Laura huffs as she walks past her.

Carmilla starts to make a witty retort, but suddenly she senses something behind her. She turns and gapes when a large, blackish cloud materializes before her. “Laura!” she calls before the gaseous being envelops her.

 

Laura pauses at the top of the stairs before turning back to see Carmilla simply standing there. “Yeah?”

Carmilla shakes her head. “Nothing.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Annoying whitelighter,” she grumbles.

Carmilla observes Laura intently as she sets out looking for the most efficiently-placed outlet.

“What?” Laura asks.

Carmilla shrugs, closing the basement door. “Do you know any deep, dark secrets this house has?”

Laura shakes her head. “I mean, one time when I was little, I went to the basement and the wind blew the door shut by the time I made it down the stairs. I couldn’t see my way back up, so I turned on the light. And I could’ve sworn there was something down there with me.” She unwinds the vacuum wire and starts to attach the pipes together. “Like, I turned and there was this dark cloud hovering near me.”

“Oh?” Carmilla asks.

 

Laura nods, moving some of the kitchen furniture around to clear up floor space. “And I screamed, ‘Leave me alone!’ before I ran back upstairs. Danny, Perry, and LaF teased me about it for weeks and I had nightmares. My mom went down there and made this whole show of checking for like, an hour. Eventually, she came back upstairs and said there was nothing for me to worry about.”

“She lied.”

Laura furrows her eyebrows in confusion and turns to face Carmilla. “Huh?”

“Your mother. She lied,” Carmilla clarifies, a devious smirk growing. She saunters towards Laura, her voice lowering. “She was down there for an hour battling me. Banishing me to the depths below the house. And it worked… Until the earthquake freed me.”

Laura swallows hard, not understanding. She takes a few steps backwards. “Carmilla, you’re freaking me out.”

Carmilla snickers, walking back to the vacuum cleaner and detaching the pipes. “That’s because… I’m not Carmilla.”

 

Laura’s eyes widen before realizing she’s now cornered in the kitchen.

“The Nexus below this house comes with a price for the power it supplies your coven,” not-Carmilla sneers. “Something evil to balance out the good you use the Nexus for.” She cocks her head to the side, testing the weight of the pipe in her hand. “And now it’s time for it to come out and play.”

Not-Carmilla swings the pipe at Laura once, but she yelps and dodges it. She grabs the Book of Shadows and flings it at her attacker, but it misses. Laura grabs the pipe, but with a flick of the possessed whitelighter’s hand, Laura flies back into the wall with a grunt. There is no hesitation before she swings the pipe again, connecting hard with Laura’s head. She crumples to the ground, eyes closed.

 

“Your mother is dead,” not-Carmilla sighs, dropping the pipe and heading for the kitchen knives, “so I guess I’ll just have to get my revenge by killing you.”

She’s playing with the blade of the knives to examine the sharpness when a loud grunt from behind her is the only warning she gets as Laura smacks her across the back of the head with the pipe. She drops to the floor with a groan.

Not-Carmilla sighs and rolls over. “Feisty one, huh?”

A small stream of blood is trickling down the side of Laura’s face. She steels herself, readying the pipe downwards again. “ _Get out of my whitelighter’s body_ ,” she commands.

Not-Carmilla lets out a cocky chuckle before her eyes widen. “What…” Carmilla’s body jerks upwards, a black cloud seeping from her eyes, nose, and mouth. She slumps to the floor, eyes closed.

Laura’s mouth drops open. _How did that happen_?

The cloud starts to move towards Laura, who takes an involuntary step back. “ _Stay away from me!_ ” Laura yells.

To her surprise, the cloud halts its movements. _That’s weird_ …

Testing this bizarre development, Laura stands her ground. “ _Go back into your prison below the ground_!” She opens the basement door, maintaining eye contact with the cloud. “And _stay there for all eternity_.”

 

The cloud hovers for a moment, and Laura holds her breath. _Please work, please work_ …

Finally, it floats through the basement door, down the stairs, and into a small crack that had formed in the floor from a box crashing down during the earthquake. The crack actually closes up.

“Whoa,” Laura breathes out.

There’s a groan behind her and Laura spins, dropping the vacuum cleaner pipe. “Carmilla!” Laura helps her sit up. “Are you okay?”

“What the gassy hell happened?” Carmilla asks, rubbing the back of her head.

Laura frowns. “Some demonic cloud attached to the Nexus possessed you. I had to hit you to keep you from… Well, from killing me.”

Carmilla’s eyes widen, focusing on the small gash on the side of Laura’s head where she was struck. “Oh, no… What did I do?” she asks in a horrified whisper.

 

“It’s fine. I have a hard head.” Laura offers a small smile.

Carmilla chuckles softly. “Where is it now, hard-head?”

Laura looks towards the basement door. “I got rid of it… somehow…”

Carmilla averts her eyes, chewing her lip for a few seconds. “Cutie, there’s something I need to tell you––”

 

“Laura! Are you okay?” a voice calls out as the front door opens.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Hold that thought,” she says as three redheads pile into the room.

Danny is the first to enter. “As soon as the earthquake subsided, we rushed back here and––” She frowns at the sight before her. “Who’s this? And why is your head bleeding?”

Perry peers around Danny. “And why is the vacuum cleaner extension attachment pipe dented?”

 

Laura stands and takes a deep breath. “Do you guys remember that time I got stuck in the basement in the dark and I came up saying that I saw something down there? I was right––”

LaF lets out a snort. “Laura, you called it a Woogeyman and refused to go into dark spaces for months after that.”

“But it’s true! This demonic cloud possessed Carmilla over here and she tried to kill me,” Laura insists.

Danny crosses her arms. “And where is the cloud, now?”

Laura sighs, knowing how her answer is going to sound. “I told it to go away and it did, back into the crack in the floor it came out of.”

Danny walks around Laura and looks into the basement. “I don’t see anything.”

“It sealed the floor back up,” Laura says lamely.

LaF nudges Perry with their elbow. “Can we get this guy to seal up the leak in the attic when it rains too hard, am I right?”

Perry frowns but doesn’t say anything.

 

Danny sighs. “Laura, if you got attacked by a demon, just say it. I know you’re on this stupid ‘I’m strong enough to take on demons by myself even without powers’ kick, but––”

Laura shakes her head. “I’m telling the truth!”

Carmilla stands up. “She is.”

“This doesn’t concern you,” Danny snaps.

“Kinda does,” Carmilla sneers back. “Having been possessed by the cloud and all.”

LaF raises their hand as if they’re in a classroom. “And, uh, who are you?”

Before Carmilla can reply, Danny exhales loudly. “It doesn’t matter. The point is, clearly we can’t leave Laura alone without worrying that some demon is gonna come after her.”

 

Laura’s mouth drops open. “That’s not fair!”

Danny gestures at the dented pipe on the floor and at Laura’s head. “Isn’t it?”

“You keep treating me like some powerless baby!” Laura yells, her hands balling into fists.

“Look, Hollis,” Danny sighs. “As long as you’re living in this house, majority rules. And we can’t go out on missions while wondering if you’re okay alone at home. And we can’t bring you out on every mission since you don’t have powers. So this is how it’s gonna have to be.”

“Fine! Then I won’t be living in this house!” Laura shouts, her voice cracking with emotion.

 

The room gets eerily silent for several seconds. Laura swallows hard, but doesn’t back down.

“What?” Danny finally asks.

Laura huffs. “If you’re gonna be such an overprotective, smothering lunatic about all this, then I’m leaving.” She grabs Carmilla by the arm. “Let’s go.”

They brush past the other two on their way out.

Perry goes to stop her, but LaF stops her. “I think we all need some space right now,” they whisper.

The front door slams and Perry sighs. “She could’ve at least vacuumed first.”

 

* * *

 

Laura slams the driver door to her car closed, fuming as Carmilla buckles herself in on the passenger side. She wipes away some tears. They drive in silence for a few minutes, other than an occasional sniffle from Laura, before Carmilla clears her throat.

“Not that I’m not grateful to be away from the Ginger Squad, but where are you gonna go, cupcake?”

Laura lets out a long, shaky sigh. “My dad’s away for work. I’m just gonna crash at his house.”

Carmilla nods. Getting Laura away from her coven could either help Carmilla protect her from her mother, or play right into her hands.

They drive for a little while longer before winding up stuck in traffic.

 

“What did you wanna tell me?” Laura asks suddenly.

“Huh?”

Laura looks over at Carmilla. “Before the others burst in, you said you wanted to tell me something?”

“Oh.” Carmilla sighs, wringing her hands together. “It’s about your powers.”

“I don’t have any powers,” Laura sighs, turning the radio on low.

“Except you do,” Carmilla says softly.

Laura furrows her eyebrows together, fiddling with the stations. “What?”

 

“You have powers,” Carmilla repeats slowly. She takes a deep breath. “You have the power of persuasion.”

“Like, mind control?” Laura asks, terrified.

“Sorta.” Carmilla sighs. “It didn’t really occur to me until you were able to banish Cryto while short one witch for the spell. Anyone with a mind that strong…” She shrugs. “That’s why I was in the underworld the other night. I was asking around about people with that ability. And my sources said that it’s indicative of someone with the power of persuasion.”

“My power is demonic?” Laura’s voice cracks with fear.

“No power is inherently evil,” Carmilla replies immediately.

 

Traffic has gone back to normal, but they’ve barely noticed.

Laura’s mind goes back to the wendigo attack and how it had paused its attack momentarily on Danny. To when her friends were reluctant to leave her behind in the ice cream truck, but seemed forced to go. To every time she had yelled out a command and people automatically obeyed.

“Are you sure?” Laura asks, her voice small.

“Positive,” Carmilla nods, trying her best at a warm smile. “You’re annoying, but I don’t think there’s a single evil bone in your body.”

Laura doesn’t say anything as she parks in front of a small house.

Carmilla unbuckles herself and lets her hand hover next to Laura’s face, healing the small gash.

“Carmilla?”

“Hmm?”

Laura unbuckles herself and twists so she can face Carmilla. “I’m scared.”

 

“Scared of what?”

“If I can control people’s minds… their free will… Th-That’s just so much power.”

Carmilla shakes her head. “I haven’t known you for too long, cutie. But something tells me you’re too good to use this power and take advantage of people.”

“But what if I’m not?” Laura says, a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Then that’s what your handy-dandy whitelighter is for,” Carmilla says. “To guide you. To train you. To protect you. Even if it’s from yourself.”

Laura visibly relaxes.

“You should go get some rest,” Carmilla suggests gently. “We can figure out what to do about your powers tomorrow.”

 

Laura nods. She opens the driver door and waits for a few seconds, as if debating something. “Hey, Carmilla?”

Carmilla looks over, ready to orb out. “Yeah?”

Laura darts at her, kneeling on the seat to brace herself as she plants a small peck on Carmilla’s cheek. “Thanks!” she squeaks as she backs out of the car, slams the door shut, and all but runs to the house. She doesn’t look back as she gets a hidden spare key and lets herself in.

Carmilla remains in the car, blinking in surprise before letting out a chuckle. “Oh, cupcake. What am I going to do with you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been dropping some small hints here and there about her powers since chapter 3, so ;)  
> While writing this fic, it wound up that the first half deals with two questions-- _what are Laura's powers,_ and _what's going on with the Carmilla/the Dean?_ Then the second half has another issue.  
>  Thank you so much for the feedback, y'all!  
> The fic follows a Wednesday update schedule. Plus, it can be found on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome and thanks for reading! <3 :D


	7. Fear Itself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla struggles to get Laura to accept her powers. A demon decides to take advantage of Laura's reluctance and insecurities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the part of the fic where Carmilla and Laura are just dorks living together :P

“You’re positive?” the Dean asks, raising an eyebrow. “Laura Hollis has the power of persuasion?”

Carmilla nods. “She’s banished demons simply by telling them to leave, Mother. I’ve confirmed it with some of the Seekers under your thumb.”

“This is most… _interesting_ ,” she comments, her eyes lighting up. “And if she’s as _good_ as you say she is, then no wonder why she’s the sacrifice.”

Carmilla grinds her teeth but remains silent.

Her phone lights up with a call and she glances down at the caller ID – “ _Cupcake_ ” –– and smirks.

“Gotta go, Mother. Duty calls.” Carmilla does a two-fingered salute and orbs out, into Laura’s living room.

 

Laura visibly perks up. “Oh! There you are.” She beams at Carmilla. “I was calling out your name for a bit.”

“I was in the Underworld, cutie.”

Laura frowns and cocks her head to the side. “Then how did you know to come?”

Carmilla holds up her cell phone. “Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me,” she says flatly.

“Wait, you can’t hear my verbal magical calls as my whitelighter down there, but you can get phone calls?” Laura giggles.

“Great reception down there, actually. I’ll FaceTime you some day,” Carmilla replies, flopping down on the couch next to Laura.

“Honestly, I thought maybe you had enough of me after yesterday and were gonna screen my calls–– of every kind _,_ ” Laura admits shyly.

Carmilla turns her head to look at Laura, a lazy smile on her face. “I’d never screen your calls, cupcake.”

 

Laura blushes and turns away, a dorky grin plastered across her face.

Carmilla chuckles. “Anyway, why _did_ you call me? Not that I’m complaining, but I don’t see any demons attacking…”

Laura huffs. “Look, I did what you said. I rested. I just… I need help with my powers. Or, at least, making sure I don’t use them wrongly.”

Carmilla swallows hard and averts her gaze.

“Carmilla, you _do_ know how to train me, right?” Laura asks nervously.

Carmilla sighs and shakes her head. “We can figure it out together?”

“Well, didn’t you think to spend last night asking for _someone_ to help me?”

Another head shake. “I was…” _Reporting back to Mother._ “I was cashing in some favors, but it’s gonna take some time.”

 

Laura visibly deflates. “I don’t trust myself using these powers if we don’t know what we’re doing.”

“Look, if it was any other power, like telekinesis or molecular deceleration and acceleration, we could totally have a badass montage right now. Yours is rare and it’s not exactly in my knowledge bank on how to deal with mind control, but I’m sure we can––”

“No.” Laura pouts and looks like she’s about to cry. “No using my powers.” Carmilla can feel her heart start to break, so she just playfully nudges Laura on the arm.

“ _Hey_. Come on,” she says with a smirk. “You’ve probably had this power for a while and you haven’t done anything evil. You’re fine.”

“I don’t know. Not right now.” Laura gives a small shrug and sighs.

 

Carmilla crosses her arms, trying to figure out a way to get through to Laura.

“You’re free to go, Carmilla Karnstein.” She smiles at Carmilla. Then a twinkle forms in her eye. “Unless you wanna hang for a bit?”

Carmilla leans back further into the couch and chuckles. “Well, I _am_ here already.”

 

* * *

 

“Are you _sure_ you don’t want to get in the water?” Laura asks, splashing around in her father’s pool.

“I’m sure,” Carmilla says without looking up. Laura had given her a tour of the house, including her father’s library. Carmilla had perused the collection for almost an hour before selecting a book to carry around with her.

The tour had also included her childhood bedroom–– lots of _Doctor Who_ memorabilia, _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ and _Veronica Mars_ DVD’s, and some posters of Wonder Woman.

“Besides, cutie, it’s Friday the 13th. With the level of clumsiness you possess, it’d be smarter to cover you up in bubble wrap and lock you in a room.”

Laura rolls her eyes and does a few laps before getting out the pool, wrapping a towel around herself.

 

And yet, it took all of Carmilla’s willpower to keep from staring at Laura in a bikini.

Laura sits down at the pool chair beside her and Carmilla continues to focus intently on her book.

“Whatcha reading?” Laura asks, drinking from a bottle of water.

“Camus,” she replies without looking up.

Laura cranes her neck to look at the cover before humming. “ _The Stranger_. ‘ _I had been right, I was still right, I was always right. I had lived my life one way and I could just as well have lived it another._ ’”

 

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow and finally glances up. “You’ve read this?”

Laura shrugs. “Dad read it for me once when he was getting ready for a part. I don’t remember much, but I remember that bit.”

“I was always more partial to ‘ _I looked up at the mass of signs and stars in the night sky and laid myself open for the first time to the benign indifference of the world_ ,” Carmilla says.

Laura snorts. “You would be.”

“And what about you?” Carmilla snaps. “Picking the quote about how your path is the only path.”

 

“What is that supposed to mean, Miss Dark and Broody?” Laura demands.

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a sneer. “Like, oh say… the path of not using your powers. It's not _out of sight, out of mind,_ cutie. The demons are still there. In fact, now you're closer to them than when you were living with the dimwit squad. And your powers are weaker.”

“I'm not defenseless,” Laura points out with a pout.

Carmilla shakes her head, losing her patience. “What’s the point of having powers if you’re scared of using them? If you can't control them and something attacks, you'll be as _dead_ as your m—”

It occurs to Carmilla too late that she's gone too far. Laura's eyes widen and her mouth opens and closes a few times before she grabs her cellphone. She stands and mumbles something about calling her father to check in before running back into the house.

 

Carmilla drops her book to her lap with a sigh.

To be honest, she was all for Laura breaking out on her own. She'd be less likely to blurt out that Carmilla is her whitelighter if they were alone.

But it was her job to keep her safe—both until the sacrifice, and then perhaps to protect her from it. And, unfortunately, Laura was safer in a house filled with witches than she was in a house alone.

 _Good going, Karnstein. Damned if you, damned if you don’t_.

 

* * *

 

Laura huffs as she storms into her dad’s study, flinging her phone onto the table. She sits at the desk and slumps forward until her head hits the table with a _thump_.

Truth be told, she couldn't call her father for another few hours, since his table read had just started. But Carmilla had gotten so infuriating and, unfortunately, right now she was all Laura had.

 _Are all whitelighter this much a pain in the ass?_ Laura wonders _._

 

“Whitelighter can be so tricky,” a male voice says from across the study, echoing her thoughts.

Laura jumps and sits up, frowning at the silver haired man standing in the doorway.

“Plus they just make my job so much harder.”

Laura swallows hard, trying to figure out her next move. “And what job is that?”

The older man’s lips twist up in a smirk.

“Who are you and how the heck did you get in here?” Laura demands bluntly.

He claps his hand together and does an exaggerated bow. “My name… is Barbas.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “Th-The demon who used to come kill witches every 1300 years by feeding on their fears but then just inexplicably started popping up everywhere like some beloved guest star on a TV show?”

He does a nod and waves his hand in front of his face, palm facing him.

 

“Laura Hollis,” he reads dramatically. His eyebrows shoot up in surprise as he does a double take. “My, my. This is quite the large fear for such a small girl.”

Laura licks her lips nervously. “Go away,” she says, trying to be strong in spite of the waver in her voice betraying her.

He snickers and presses his lips together. “Your powers don’t work on me. Especially since they’re your largest fear.”

Laura shakes her head. “I-I’m not…”

He laughs now, disappearing from view and reappearing right beside her. “Your largest fear is that you won’t be able to control your powers and will bring about the end of the world simply by trying to help.”

 

Laura’s blood runs cold and her eyes widen. Yes, she had know she was afraid of the possible consequences of her powers–– but hearing it said to her made it all the more worse.

“You fear dragging everyone into your crusades and getting them killed. Or… You’re afraid that by simply telling someone to, say, kill themselves–– that you’ll love the taste of the power it gives you,” Barbas says into her ear, grinning when she shivers. “Telling demons to vanquish themselves is one thing. But what if you could tell a human murderer that the world is better off without them? Or a pedophile,” he hisses.

Laura shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes. “Stop,” she says weakly.

He backs away slowly, a serious look on his face. “What if one day you get into a horrible fight with your friends in your coven and words are said that you can’t take back? You, Laura Hollis, could single-handedly end your coven––”

“STOP!” Laura yells.

 

“Laura?” a voice calls out from down the hall. Carmilla comes running in, scanning the room with worry.

Laura collapses onto her knees, sobbing. Carmilla drops down next to her.

“What’s going on?” Carmilla asks softly.

Laura shakes her head, tears flowing down her face. “Th-There’s a d-demon here,” she gasps out. “He-He knows that… His powers are to…”

“Okay, okay, breathe,” Carmilla says gently, eyes wide with concern. “It’s fine, I’m here now.”

Laura throws herself into Carmilla’s arms and sobs for a little while longer before her breathing finally slows down.

“Better?” Carmilla asks, carefully detaching herself from Laura.

 

“The demon who feeds off fears is here. Barbas,” Laura says, her voice still shaking.

Carmilla frowns. “I thought he was freed from that whole 1300-year cycle.”

Laura shrugs, wiping at her cheeks.

“Leave it to him to keep with the Friday the 13th gimmick,” Carmilla sighs. She tucks a loose strand of hair behind Laura’s ear. “You sure you’re okay?”

Laura averts her eyes and Carmilla playfully nudges her.

“We may not agree on philosophical quotes, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still talk to me, Hollis.”

Laura huffs out a small laugh. She sniffles and sighs. “He told me that… my biggest fear is that I’ll get mad with power and use it against humans instead of just vanquishing demons.”

 

Carmilla frowns. “That’s stupid.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Gee, thanks.”

“I mean, you’re stupid,” Carmilla comments.

“Really helping me feel validated here, Carm,” Laura snaps.

Carmilla chuckles at the nickname. “I’m not here to validate you,” she says. “Cupcake, did you ever cheat at an exam or a project in Magic School?”

“No?” Laura replies after some thought, confused.

“Have you ever shoplifted?”

“No.”

“Have you even had an overdue library book?”

Laura cuts her eyes at Carmilla. “Is there a point, here?”

 

“The point is you’re a good person. Probably one of the most purely good people I’ve ever met. And I’ve been around for a long time, cutie.”

Laura looks at Carmilla with wide eyes, and Carmilla boops her on the nose.

“Cupcake, you are ridiculous, and headstrong and naïve… and one could argue annoying, shrill, and as we found out before, inherently self-righteous. But none of that is malicious. You believe in peace and justice and none of it is ingrained in your magic. For the love of god, you go take care of old people in your spare time and seem to _actually enjoy it_. There’s not a single thing evil about you, so why would your powers be any different?”

There’s a pause before Laura pouts at Carmilla. “You think I’m annoying and shrill?” Laura asks, making Carmilla chuckle.

“Hon, the first few times I orbed to you, you were either yelling at me, crying, or screaming at the world in general,” Carmilla teases.

Laura flashes Carmilla a grin and Carmilla smiles back, standing and reaching out a hand. “Now let’s go kick some demon a––”

 

Suddenly, Laura blinks out of sight.

Carmilla’s mouth drops open and she waits a few seconds to make sure she didn’t imagine it. “Laura?” She looks around the room, perplexed. “Where’d you go?”

“Carm!” Laura’s voice yells from outside.

Carmilla dashes back out to the pool, halting in her steps when she sees an older man holding Laura. He has his hand clamped over her mouth and the other hand is holding her in place.

His mouth moves, with Laura’s voice coming from it. “Oh, Carm, thanks for coming out here,” he says with a sneer.

 

“Let her go,” Carmilla demands.

His voice returns back to normal. “Now, if only you had her powers, then I would listen.” He tightens his hold on Laura. “You whitelighters really do make my job harder. Good thing I scanned for your fears while you were inside giving her a pep talk, trying to undo all my hard work of making her terrified.”

Barbas cocks his head to the side, smug.

“Carmilla Karnstein. Now, what is your biggest fear? Is it finally dying after 384 years of existence?” He lets out a horrified gasp. “Is it Laura finding out the truth about you?”

Carmilla swallows hard. Laura finding out the truth about Carmilla’s real intentions would––

“Or is it this?”

 

Without any fanfare, he throws Laura into the pool, waving his hand.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “No!” She runs to the pool edge but hesitates.

“She’s not swimming back up here on her own,” he hisses at her. “Looks like you’re gonna have to go get her yourself.” He shrugs. “But that fear of drowning is _pretty_ paralyzing, isn’t it?”

Carmilla clenches her jaw, tightening her hands into fists, trying to will herself to jump in after Laura. She can see Laura at the bottom, struggling to swim up. The bubbles are getting more frantic.

Barbas laughs. “Poor Carmilla. Couldn’t save Ell. Can’t save Laura…”

 

Carmilla turns to look at Barbas before flashing him a grin. “Shouldn’t have said that.”

She quickly jumps into the water, making her way down to Laura as fast as she can. Laura’s on her last bit of air as Carmilla grabs her by the arm and tugs her upward to the surface. They break it and Carmilla holds Laura above while she gasps for air.

After Laura coughs up some water, they make their way to the edge and Laura climbs up first. But before Carmilla can follow, Barbas waves his hand, and Carmilla gets pulled back down under.

Barbas grabs Laura and holds her in place. “And because you’re a pathetic weakling, Carmilla is going to suffer in her fear of drowning.”

Laura struggles against his grasp.

“Tell me, is it worse to think you don’t have powers, or to have them and be too afraid to use them?” he asks, grinning as Carmilla is now the one trapped underwater.

 

“You tell me.” Laura grits her teeth and turns to him. “ _Bring Carmilla back up_.”

Barbas immediately raises his hand, palm-up, and Carmilla rises from the pool floor to the surface, gliding over to the side and lands softly. She coughs and sputters, looking up at Laura gratefully.

He tries to regain his composure. “It’s a slippery slope, you know. Using powers on demons can quickly turn to using powers on innocent mortals.”

“Nice try.” Laura shakes her head. “ _Banish yourself_ ,” she commands coldly. “ _Banish yourself forever_.”

Barbas’s lip trembles, an angry defiant look on his face. His body shakes and warps, and soon agonized howls echo through the air before he vanishes from sight.

 

Laura drops to Carmilla’s side, a hand on her back. “I can’t believe you faced your fear for me.”

Carmilla coughs up some water. “Could say the same for you, sweetheart.”

Laura chuckles softly before frowning when Carmilla coughs some more. “Are you gonna be okay?”

Carmilla shakes her head gravely. “I think I drowned.” She leans closer to a confused Laura. “Better gimme some mouth-to-mouth.”

Laura groans and stands up, grabbing a towel and chucking it at Carmilla. “Keep it up and I’m not giving you new dry clothes to wear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dang. Shoulda uploaded this on Friday the 13th for maximum effect, hehe.  
> This fic runs on a _Wednesday_ update schedule.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz).  
> Feel free to drop a comment here or hit me up on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	8. Heartbreak City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's out at dinner with friends when she realizes something's wrong. The night takes a turn when she stumbles across a being who needs her help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are AMAZING! Thank you so much for continuing to read and comment on this crazy project of mine <3

Laura yawns and pads into the kitchen, jumping when she sees Carmilla standing at the island.

“Finished your cookies,” Carmilla says, waving the empty package.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Do whitelighters even need to eat?”

“Nope,” Carmila replies, smirking when Laura sighs.

A phone on the island lights up and Carmilla looks down.

“Got a text from a Corrina Scott,” Carmilla reads out. “Apparently Mel and Elsie broke up and she's _super_ upset.”

“ _What?”_ Laura's mouth drops open and she runs over, snatching up her phone. She quickly unlocks it, her eyes darting back and forth as she reads the message.

Her fingers are flying and she presses the phone to her ear.

 

“Hey!” Laura greets brightly. “I just saw your text about Melsie. I didn’t even know they were going out again.”

Carmilla scoffs at the ship name. Laura reaches into the back of a cupboard and produces another package of cookies, chewing on one as she listens.

“But that’s so weird! It’s Valentine’s Day. I know yesterday was Friday the 13th, but who breaks up on _Valentine’s Day?_ ”

“Probably someone with a vendetta against chocolates,” Carmilla comments, chuckling when Laura swats at her.

“Yeah, I could do dinner tonight with you guys,” Laura replies. She drums her fingers on the tabletop as the details are reeled off to her. “Great. Is Nazneen coming, too?” Laura squeals at the reply. “Yay! See you then.”

 

Carmilla stares at Laura as she hangs up, already anticipating the question.

“Wanna come to dinner with me and some friends tonight?” Laura asks.

“No.”

Laura pouts. “They’re witches.”

“Even more _no_.” Carmilla sighs when Laura’s pout grows. “Don’t take it personally, babe. I still wanna see if I can get some more answers about your powers. And the first opening with the person I wanted to ask is tonight.”

Laura’s pout disappears and she giggles. “It’s fine, I’m just giving you a hard time.”

“You always give me a hard time.” Carmilla’s lips twitch upwards a bit and she lets out a sigh. “Actually, I should probably get going now. There are some other contacts I wanted to hit up before tonight’s meeting.” She starts to orb out but Laura grabs her arm to stop her.

 

“Oh! Wait, before you go, I have a question.”

Carmilla narrows her eyes at her. “Shocking.”

Laura giggles and lets go. “What did Barbas mean yesterday when he said you’d be afraid that I’d find out the truth about you?”

 

Carmilla freezes. After Barbas had been vanquished and they spent the evening curled up in the living room with hot cocoa in front of some Netflix, Carmilla thought she was in the clear. _Apparently not_.

“Carm?” Laura repeats when Carmilla seems to have zoned out. “What don’t I know about you?”

“I’m actually…” Carmilla swallows hard and leans in closer, lowering her voice. “…a Hufflepuff.”

She orbs out with a smirk as Laura’s voice reaches impressive octaves while she yells at Carmilla that that is _not_ an answer.

  

* * *

 

 

Laura takes another sip of her martini, trying not to spit out her drink in laughter as Mel continues on her rampage about the newest campus fraternity shenanigans.

“I know I’m an advisor for the archery club in my spare time, but I swear if it were legal, I would shoot an arrow right into one of those Backstreet Bro’s asses,” Mel finishes. She turns to Laura. “Anyway, what have you been up to, Hollis? Living with Lawrence now that your super-special schooling is over?”

Laura stares into her glass. “Actually, I sorta… moved out. I’m living in my dad’s house while he’s away until I figure something out.”

Mel nods, raising her glass. “Cheers to moving out!”

The four of them clink glasses and take another sip before Corrina clears her throat. “So… Mel… what happened to you and Elsie? You guys seemed to have it all worked out this time.”

 

Mel lets out a groan of disgust. “Don’t even get me started on Elsie. I don’t want to waste my oxygen on someone I hate.”

“But you were just telling us how in love you two were the other day,” Nazneen points out. “You guys were talking about how it was maybe time to take it to the next level…”

Corrina nods. “How do you go from that to hate? Like, did she do something to you––”

“––I hate Elsie. That’s all that matters,” Mel spits out with so much anger the entire group falls silent.

 

Nazneen clears her throat. “I’m gonna get us another round.”

“Yeah, I’ll help you carry them,” Corrina volunteers, leaving Laura with an apologetic look.

 

Laura picks at the edge of her napkin.

“You’ve been quiet tonight,” Mel observes.

Laura shrugs. “I’ve got a lot on my mind, I guess.”

“Feel like sharing with the class?” Mel asks, sarcastically gesturing to the empty table.

Laura gives a noncommittal shrug.

“Ah, so it’s witch stuff,” Mel says with a smirk.

Laura’s eyes widen and she looks around her.

“ _Relax_ ,” Mel says, laughing. “No one in this bar is listening, let alone gives a rat’s ass about witchcraft.”

 

Laura shrugs again, still picking at the napkin.

In typical Mel fashion, Mel grabs the napkin from Laura. “And stop fraying this napkin! You’re making me anxious,” Mel snaps, making Laura giggle.

 

Her eyes wander to find Corrina and Nazneen carrying drinks over. Someone bumps into them and they both yell at him, but it seems to fall on deaf ears as he brushes past them and out the door. They arrive at the table with a huff.

“What was _that_ about?” Laura asks.

Nazneen shrugs, while Corrina cuts her eyes at her. “Well, maybe if someone watched where they were going…”

“Are you talking about me?” she scoffs. “He walked into both of us!”

Laura frowns. “Okay, why don’t we forget about––”

“Well, maybe if someone could walk through crowds without getting lost on the way back to the table, then I wouldn’t have to walk in front of you,” Nazneen snaps.

Corrina’s mouth drops open. “You’re taller than I am!” She lets out an exasperated sigh. “You always do this. You nitpick over irrelevant things when the thing I’m really mad about––”

“ _I_ nitpick? You’re starting an argument over a random stranger who bumped into _both_ of us, just like every other stupid fight you start over the littlest things––”

Laura stands up, ready to separate them. “Let’s not––”

“Shut up!” they both yell at her at the same time.

 

Laura looks to Mel for help, but she seems distracted by someone who just walked into the bar. Laura turns to look and groans. _Elsie._ “Gimme a break,” she mumbles as the blonde makes her way over to the table.

“Oh, I see. It’s not enough for you to take the apartment, but you poached our friends, too?”

Laura shakes her head before Mel can reply. “That’s not what––”

“Laura, shut up,” Elsie snaps.

Laura sighs and walks away from the two bickering couples, pulling out her phone.

 

* * *

 

Carmilla orbs in and peers around the empty room. She walks over to a closed door and knocks, but there’s no answer. She sighs and plops down on a chair, draping herself over the arm. A few moments pass before someone teleports in before her and chuckles.

“Well, hello to you, too, sis,” a woman clad in black greets.

Carmilla smirks and springs to her feet, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. “Hi, Mattie.”

Mattie grins and hugs her back before pulling away and sitting on another chair to face Carmilla. “And to what do I owe the pleasure?”

Carmilla shrugs. “What? I can’t visit my favorite seer?”

Mattie raises her eyebrow, unconvinced.

“It’s super hard to find time to hang out with you, y’know,” Carmilla pouts.

“Yes, well, Mother has me running around making sure everything is set for the sacrifice,” Mattie replies with a sigh. She playfully nudges Carmilla. “Now tell me why you’re here.”

 

Carmilla sighs, looking down at her fingernails. Yes, she and Mattie were close enough they were practically sisters. But Mattie’s loyalty was first and foremost to Mother, and she had no misconceptions about that. She chooses her words carefully.

“It’s about the sacrifice. Laura.”

Mattie frowns. “Mother told me that the girl has the power of persuasion, but was convinced she didn’t have any powers until you figured it out?”

Carmilla nods, chewing on her lip. “Mattie… She’s…” She swallows hard. “She’s special.”

 

“Why, I should say so,” Mattie says with a laugh. “She’s one of the few beings I’ve ever heard of with the power of persuasion. Certainly a rarity for her to go this long thinking she had no powers, as well.”

Carmilla presses her lips together and Mattie looks at her expectantly.

“It’s not just her powers… She’s… _special_ , Mattie.” Carmilla sighs. “She’s so good and pure. Like, if most people found out they had this power, they would love it and test it out. But she seemed too scared to because she’s aware that power could corrupt. But she’s also too strong to be corrupted.”

Mattie stares at Carmilla with an unreadable expression before narrowing her eyes in suspicion. “What are you saying?”

 

Carmilla groans and covers her face with her hands. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, I think you _do_ know.” Mattie stands up and looks down at Carmilla, her face now serious. “Carmilla, you _will_ sacrifice this girl.”

Carmilla swallows hard, struggling to meet Mattie’s gaze.

Mattie sighs, resting one hand on Carmilla’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Remember that time you decided not to sacrifice that guy because he was a ‘special’ poet? Or that girl because she was a ‘special’ singer? Do you remember what happened when you tried to avoid sacrificing either of them?”

Carmilla frowns. “But––”

“Lophiiformes almost died. You almost killed a _god_ because you thought they were special. When really, the only way they’re special is because they make excellent fish food.”

Carmilla swallows hard. “But Laura––”

 

“––is also fish food. Probably the most powerful thing this god has eaten in its life, but still–– she’s only fish food.” Mattie looks at Carmilla, tapping her on the nose. “Her sacrifice is vital to what Lophiiformes needs to survive. It feeds on strength, and if that’s what you think makes her special, then that’s also why she needs to die. Understand?”

Carmilla licks her lips and gives a small shrug.

“If you came here to ask if I could look into the future and find another way so that she can live, I doubt there is one. But…” Mattie rolls her eyes. “I’ll look. For you.”

Carmilla perks up at that and pulls Mattie in for another hug. “Thanks.”

“You’re disgustingly sappy and it’s the only thing about you that I wish would change,” Mattie groans. “But I guess if it were, then you wouldn’t be the sister I love.”

 

Mattie sighs, rising from their embrace as Carmilla grins sheepishly. Her phone rings and Mattie doesn’t miss the way Carmilla’s eyes light up at the caller ID and the small smile that appears when she answers.

“Hello, cupcake. Couldn’t even go one night without me, huh––” Carmilla’s eyes widen. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll be right there.”

Carmilla hangs up and Mattie makes a gagging noise.

“Mattie, will you _please_ ––”

“ _Yes_ , yes, I will see if I can find something in my visions that’ll have you avoiding to sacrifice Laura.”

“You’re the best.” Carmilla grins and does a mock salute. “Duty calls,” she says before orbing out.

Mattie lets out a long exhale and crosses her arms. “The best liar, I suppose.”

 

* * *

 

Carmilla orbs into a dirty alley and looks around in disgust.

“Hey!” Laura greets brightly, giggling at Carmilla’s reaction.

“I’m gonna regret answering your call, aren’t I?”

Laura shrugs. “At least you come when I need you to. It’s a nice change.”

Carmilla smirks and starts to open her mouth. Realizing the innuendo, Laura stammers over her and continues on.

“I think there’s a demon in club. Or, uhm, there was one.”

Carmilla chuckles at Laura being flustered and cocks her head to the side. “What makes you say that?”

“Okay, well, remember how two of my friends broke up earlier and it was totally out of the blue?”

Carmilla nods.

“Well, one of them was acting weird all night whenever we asked her about it, and then the other couple started to fight just now.”

 

Carmilla narrows her eyes and sighs. “I’m not getting it, cutie.”

“I think there’s a demon in there that’s being like, an anti-Cupid. It’s just breaking up couples!”

“That’s ridiculous,” Carmilla replies. “People break up. That’s just the way the world works, sweetheart.”

Laura runs a hand through her hair. “B–B–But don’t you believe in true love? Soul mates?”

Carmilla shakes her head and Laura’s mouth drops open.

 

“W-Well, something is going on here! So if you don’t believe in that stuff, the least you can do is… Just _tell me you_ _believe me_.”

Carmilla’s body goes rigid and she swallows hard. “I believe you.”

Laura’s eyes widen and she shakes her head. “Crap, I–– Did I just use my power or do you really mean that?” She buries her face in her hands. “ _Don’t answer that._ ” She looks up and Carmilla’s lips are pressed together.

As Laura tries to figure out what to do next, there’s a groan near them. Carmilla instinctively stands protectively in front of Laura, but Laura rushes around her towards the sound.

Before Carmilla can stop her, Laura rounds a dumpster and finds a man grabbing his chest in pain. “Oh, gosh! Are you okay?” Laura asks.

 

The man shakes his head and breathes heavily. “I need… your help, Laura Hollis.”

Laura frowns and exchanges a look with Carmilla. “How do you know my name?”

“I’m a Cupid angel,” he gasps out, “and I need you to help me save true love.”

He collapses, leaving a confused Laura and Carmilla to stare at each other.

 

* * *

 

“Last attempt at convincing you of this, buttercup. You didn’t use your powers on me on purpose,” Carmilla says with a sigh. “It’s fine.”

Laura shakes her head for the umpteenth time. “Carm, I told you–– I don’t–– I don’t think I can handle this power! Everything I say or do, I––” Her words catch in her throat and her eyes start to tear up. She sniffles and sighs. “I shouldn’t be taking away people’s free will and their choices. No one deserves that. _You_ deserve better than that.”

Carmilla frowns, reaching out to place a reassuring hand on Laura’s shoulder. “Laura…”

There’s a groan on the couch nearby and Laura wipes away her tears with a sniffle before walking across the living room.

 

He sits up slowly and rubs his chest.

“You’re not gonna croak on us, are you?” Carmilla asks, crossing her arms.

Laura shoots her a small glare before turning her attention back to the man on her couch. “Are you okay?”

He nods with a small wince. “Where am I?”

“My dad’s house,” Laura replies.

His eyes widen and he jumps off the couch. “No! We need to go back to the bar! We-We need to get your friends back together––”

 

“––Slow down, Aphrodite,” Carmilla snaps. “Back the story up. To the beginning.”

The Cupid stares between her and Laura, who nods in agreement and pats the seat. He sits back down with a sigh.

“I’m a Cupid. I put people together according to what true love dictates who are soul mates. Except sometimes, a third party outside of the soul mates can fall in love with one of them. But they can never be together.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes and grumbles something unintelligible.

“What?” Laura asks.

Carmilla gives a headshake but Laura sighs.

“ _What?_ ”

“You expect me to believe that everyone out there has a soul mate?” Carmilla demands from the Cupid, who nods. “So you’re telling me no one can fall in love with someone else and it’s not returned?”

“You can fall in love with someone who doesn’t feel the same way. That just means they’re not your soul mate,” he replies.

Carmilla scoffs. “That’s a load of bullsh––”

“––That’s _digressing_ ,” Laura interrupts with a pointed look.

 

The Cupid shrugs and continues. “Last week, I was pairing up this lovely couple, making sure everything was right for them to be together. I didn’t know a demon named Drazi had fallen for one of them. When he had officially fallen for someone else, Drazi blamed me for losing his one chance at happiness. So he killed his love’s soul mate and vowed to make his love fall for him. He also vowed revenge and is determined to break up couples I’ve put together.”

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “What the hearty heck would that solve?”

“Each time a Cupid puts a couple together, it sends a bit of good energy into the world–– some happiness, love, and purity. But in the rare occasions a couple that a Cupid puts together breaks up, it sends negative energy–– and inflicts pain and weakens the Cupid.”

Laura frowns. “So when we found you in the alley…”

“I was already weakened because he’d broken up your friends Elsie and Mel. And then he bumped into Nazneen and Corrina at the bar and planted a seed of hate and anger…”

 

“So how do we fix this?” Carmilla asks.

The Cupid looks at Laura. “I need you to get your friends back together. That should weaken Drazi. Then we can lure him out with the object of his affection and vanquish him.”

Laura averts her gaze, staring down at her hands in her lap.

“How does she get her friends back together?” Carmilla asks.

Laura sighs, knowing the answer. “I have to use my powers, don’t I?”

 

* * *

 

 

Laura hesitates outside the bar, seeing Mel and Nazneen sitting at one table, and Elsie and Corrina in a small booth at the other end of the bar.

“So you just go in there, use your power of persuasion to get them back together, and then go to the alley where Carmilla will have the object of Drazi’s affection–– one Samuel David Ellis–– as bait and we can…” He notices Laura’s uncertainty. “What’s the matter?”

Laura huffs. “I-I don’t think I can do this.”

“Do what?”

“Use my power.”

He frowns, not understanding.

 

Laura frowns and runs a hand through her hair. “Do… Do you know what it’s like, knowing you can just say something and people will just _do_ it? I just found out that I can literally just tell someone to do something and they’ll _obey_ and it feels awful.”

Her voice cracks and she lets out a shaky breath.

“What if I decide to abuse it? What if I point to the bartender and say, I want twenty-one shots for free? Or I grab some old lady and say I want all the money in her adorable little purse? Or I can just say to that guy walking towards us that he should stop being a jerkface and he should _take his jacket off and give it to the woman he’s walking with who’s_ clearly _cold––_ ”

As the couple walks past the Cupid and Laura, the man removes his jacket and drapes it over his companion’s shoulder.

Laura lets her head fall against the side of the building with a groan. “See what I mean?”

 

“Oh, shut up already, cupcake,” Carmilla snaps from the alley.

Laura stares at her in surprise. “What?”

“You’ve been harping on _What if I’m bad? What if I use my powers for evil? What if, what if, what if_?” Carmilla’s voice became shrill to imitate Laura and she rolls her eyes when Laura looks offended. “Look, you’re struggling, okay? And you’re allowed to. Because, cupcake, the universe is huge, and it’s arbitrary and uncaring. You know, one moment you can get sucked into a Hell pit and the next moment you can get pulverized by a meteor and… really, in the grand spectrum of things it’ll mean nothing.”

“If this is your cheering up speech, it needs a little work,” Laura sniffles.

 

Carmilla laughs dryly. “My point is that in this world where anything can happen and evil, _bad_ things don’t even wonder about the morality behind their actions, you beat yourself up so much over your actions that you might as well just take your own damn lunch money and call it a day. You care so much and you take matters into your own hands when you see injustice and that’s a good thing in my book.”

The Cupid stands by, silent and observing.

“Yes, you used your powers on me earlier. It was an _accident_. Accidents _happen_. It doesn’t mean you’re the harbinger for some biblical apocalypse and Armageddon. You’re… You’re the most pure, good person I’ve ever met,” Carmilla says softly.

Laura swallows hard, a small smile appearing on her face.

 

“I know you don’t like using your power right now. And I’ll never tell you to use it unless it’s a life-or-death situation. But right now, if you don’t use it, this demon is gonna keep breaking people up. Shattering true love, which you apparently believe in. He’s tearing up people who _belong_ together, and taking away their free will. Are you gonna let that happen?”

“No?” Laura replies softly. “No, I’m not.”

 

Carmilla chuckles. “I may not have your powers, but this is what you’re gonna do. You’re gonna march your tiny ass in there. You’re gonna _make_ your friends to stop hating each other, for the good of love and Cupid babies with little wings and bows and arrows everywhere. You’re gonna come back out to the alley where I’ve handcuffed a very distraught Samuel David Ellis to a street lamp. And you’re gonna vanquish Drazi’s sorry ass with this tiny potion vial with a red square so this guy can get on his merry way.” She gives Laura a small nudge. “Any questions?”

Laura shakes her head, a grin threatening to split her face in half. “Thanks, Carm.”

 

She marches her tiny ass into the bar.

She commands Elsie and Mel to stop hating each other. She tells Nazneen and Corrina to cease their fighting. All parties are confused, but obedient.

She goes to the alley to find Carmilla still keeping an eye on Samuel Ellis before she lures Drazi out with a spell.

She vanquishes Drazi immediately.

 

She bids farewell to the Cupid, and he tells Laura he hopes she finds the peace and love she’s looking for. He gives a pointed look at Carmilla, who doesn’t notice because she’s too busy staring proudly at Laura.

And none of them notice Mattie lurking at the other end of the alley.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, kicking myself that the stars didn't align and I didn't put up this chapter for Valentine's Day LOL.  
> Also I totally should've mentioned this earlier but if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I've watched the entire show over a dozen times through so stuff can slip my mind, but I don't bite :P  
>  This fic runs on a _Wednesday_ update schedule.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Again, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	9. Which Witch Is Which?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura gets a visitor, spurring an investigation by Carmilla. She returns to find that things are not quite what they seem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI ALL  
> So I can't tell since I'm the one writing this, and I don't have a beta, but if it seems like I'm drawing out this whole "Laura doesn't like using her powers" and Laura/Carmilla having only a witch/whitelighter relationship, I PROMISE there's a reason for all of it. But a romantic Hollstein does eventually happen. I just didn't wanna stick two broken people together in this fic, so they're basically working through their crap together beforehand :)  
> Aaaand if that wasn't an issue then ignore my plethora of insecurities lmao

Laura yawns and shuffles through the living room in her slippers. She half expects to see Carmilla devouring more of her cookies in the kitchen, and is more disappointed than she’d care to admit that this isn’t the case.

“Laura Hollis?” a voice behind her greets.

Laura spins in her chair, cookie still in hand. “Mmhmm?” she asks, mouth full, regarding her visitor carefully.

The woman observes her strangely, as if taken aback, confused, and amused. “I’m a… friend of Carmilla’s. She was supposed to meet me earlier. I don’t suppose you know where she is?”

Laura shakes her head. “But if I see her later I can tell her that you were looking for her…?” She cocks her head to the side. “Who _are_ you?”

The woman smirks. “A friend. Weren’t you listening?” She teleports out and Laura blinks, confused because she’s never seen that kind of teleportation before. It wasn’t an orb, or a blink, or even that weird haze some upper-level demons disappear in. It was like an outlined light that phased out.

 

Laura frowns and pulls out her cell phone, dialing Carmilla. It picks up almost immediately.

“Geez, cupcake. Can’t go one day without you annoying me.”

Laura frowns. “Sorry, I don’t mean to keep bothering you…”

Carmilla chuckles. “Teasing. It’s kinda my job, remember?”

Laura sighs and giggles. “Who should I speak to about giving you a raise?”

“Before you start making the picket signs,” Carmilla says after another chuckle, “I _am_ in the middle of something. So may I ask why you’re calling?”

Laura grabs another cookie. “Someone teleported into my kitchen looking for you and then left. Said you were supposed to meet with her and she’s a friend… Was dressed in a suit like she was born into it…”

There’s a long pause on the other end and Laura has to check to make sure the call didn’t drop.

“Carm? You still there?”

 

Carmilla clears her throat. “Did Ma–– Did she say or do anything else?”

“Nope. Just wanted to know if I know where you are. Which… I don’t.” Laura pauses. “Uhm, this isn’t gonna become a regular thing, is it? Magical beings just popping into my home looking for you? I mean, she seemed harmless coz if she wanted to hurt me, she would’ve, but…”

Carmilla audibly relaxes and chuckles. “I’ll make sure it isn’t.”

Laura takes another bite from the cookie. “Hey, Carm? What kinda being was your friend? I didn’t recognize her teleportation type.”

Carmilla swallows hard. “Hon, I’ve gotta go now. Thanks for letting me know she dropped by.”

The call ends and Laura frowns down at her phone.

 _Interesting_ …

  

* * *

 

Laura’s going through the Netflix catalogue when orbs appear before her.

“Hey,” Laura greets when Carmilla becomes visible, moving over to make room for her.

“Hello, Laura,” she responds, sitting down on the couch beside her.

Laura raises an eyebrow at hearing her actual name but shrugs it off. “How was… whatever you were doing?”

Carmilla shrugs. “What did I tell you I was doing?”

“You didn’t…?” Laura replies, confused. She offers Carmilla some cookies.

“No, thanks,” Carmilla says, her eyes darting around the room, as if she’s soaking it all in.

Laura furrows her eyebrows together. “Carm, are you okay? Did you have a talk with your friend?”

Carmilla regards her carefully. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

 

Laura shrugs. “You’re acting weird.”

Carmilla settles back against the couch, licking her lips nervously. “How much time would you say we spend together?”

Laura looks confused and taken aback. “I mean… you show up when I call you. That’s about it?”

“So… you don’t think you’re getting any special treatment? Anything beyond what a whitelighter and witch should be doing?”

Laura shakes her head. “Heck, in the beginning half the time I wasn’t sure you were even meeting the bare minimum.”

“Good. Good,” Carmilla comments, nodding. “And… I haven’t told you anything about you outside of your powers?”

“Carm…” Laura narrows her eyes suspiciously. “How did I find out about my powers?”

 

Carmilla scoffs. “You sure ask a lotta questions.”

“ _Answer me,_ ” Laura says.

“I don’t know,” Carmilla replies.

Laura’s aware she’s using her powers, but something isn’t sitting right with her. “ _Tell me why you don’t know._ ”

“I wasn’t told how by my boss,” Carmilla replies immediately, but her face betrays her annoyance that she’s doing this involuntarily.

Laura raises an eyebrow. “And who’s your boss?”

 

Carmilla rises off the couch and smiles deviously. There’s a ripple in the air before a shapeshifting effect wears off. “You ask too many questions.”

The demon produces a knife and throws it at Laura, who yelps and ducks. “Ca––”

Her attacker wastes no time in charging at her, swiping up his fallen knife in the process.

 

* * *

 

“Why did you tell Laura we were supposed to meet earlier?” Carmilla asks as she orbs into Mattie’s cavern.

“Maman asked me to meet her and put out feelers on the new sacrifice. Telling her that would also get you to come see me–– two birds, one stone,” Mattie replies. “And now that you’re here, I want to tell you in no uncertain terms. There is no way, and never has been a way to avoid using her in the ritual.”

“You’re sure there’s no way to save her?” Carmilla asks desperately.

Mattie frowns and crosses her arms. “Carm…” She sighs and sits down next to Carmilla. “Why is she so special to you?”

“I don’t know, Mattie. She just _is_.” Carmilla groans and fidgets.

Mattie stands, hand on hip. “Well. It has been prophesized that she is the sacrifice. I’ve been keeping an eye on her for the past few days since your last visit and I see no reason why she shouldn’t be. So unless you want a repeat of past mistakes…”

 

Her words hover in the air and she stares at Carmilla, waiting for some kind of argument or retort.

Carmilla scoffs and shakes her head. “No, no. I get what you’re saying.” She gives Mattie a half-hug. “Thanks for your help.”

She pulls out her phone and looks at it, pretending she got a text from Laura and mumbling a goodbye.

Mattie sighs, not buying any of it for a minute. _At least that shapeshifter should’ve gotten answers from Laura for Maman by now._

 

* * *

 

Carmilla orbs out into Laura’s living room. Her eyes are still focused down on her phone screen and she plops down on a chair. She senses something’s wrong and looks up, realizing the room is in shambles.

Carmilla jumps to her feet. “Laura?” she calls. She rushes around the house, looking for some sign, before halting in the study. She can see Laura outside fighting off a demon through the window and her eyes widen.

 _She looks hurt_.

 

Carmilla orbs outside to find Laura is clutching at her side, where a small stream of blood is seeping through her shirt.

Her presence goes unnoticed by Laura and her opponent as the latter takes off and runs around the side of the house, followed closely by Laura.

Carmilla runs after them, hearing some loud thuds and a crash as someone goes through a door. She turns the corner and finds Laura on the ground.

“Laura!” Carmilla drops to her side and carefully turns the groaning girl to look for the wound. But she’s unable to find it. “Where’s…”

 

“Carm, get away! That’s not me,” Laura’s voice calls out from a few feet away. This one _is_ clutching her side.

Carmilla’s eyes widen as the Laura next to her glances over with an uncharacteristic smirk. In the blink of an eye, she transforms into the attacker Carmilla saw earlier. He grabs Carmilla by the wrist and they teleport out of Laura’s sight.

“Carm!” Laura shouts.

 

“Laura!” Carmilla’s voice echoes from by the pool.

Laura quickly stumbles towards it, pausing when she sees two Carmillas in a scuffle by the poolside. “Carm?”

They both pause and look at her.

“I’m the real Carmilla!” the one currently on her back insists.

“No! I am,” the one straddling her declares.

Laura swallows hard.

“Use your power to figure which one of us is the real one,” the latter suggests.

The other one’s eyes widen. For a moment, Laura thinks it’s out of fear and that this one must be the imposter. But then something else occurs to her.

 

She strolls over to the pair, who haven’t moved and have ceased fighting.

Laura glances at the one that told her to use her powers. “I don’t need to,” she says, grabbing her and yanking her off the real Carmilla. “Carm wouldn’t have me just use my powers unless it was life or death,” Laura growls.

The girl in her hold smirks and reverts to his demonic form as Carmilla scrambles to her feet. “If it’s life or death that you want, it’s life or death you’ll get,” he sneers.

 

There’s a ripple in the air and Carmilla finds herself faced with two Lauras. Taking advantage of Laura’s wound, the shape-shifter easily breaks free and grabs Laura by the back of her shirt before tugging her into the pool.

She runs forward and pulls up the first Laura she finds. She pauses, quickly checking her side.

 _No cut_.

“Oh, this is awkward,” Carmilla comments, letting her go and grabbing the other Laura to yank her out.

 

Laura gasps for air and coughs up water while Carmilla goes to heal her wound.

There’s a growl behind them as the demon’s arm breaks the water’s surface and grips onto the pool edge.

“I’m starting to think this pool is more trouble than it’s worth,” Carmilla snaps, pulling Laura to her feet.

“Me too,” Laura rasps, gesturing for them to run into the house together. Laura trips on her way into her father’s study but regains her footing, holding herself up on the desk as she rummages through a drawer.

 

Carmilla frowns and works to finish healing Laura’s wound and getting the water out of her lungs. “What are you looking for?”

“Bah, fish fingers and custard!” Laura slams the drawer closed in anger. “Ugh! Dad must’ve gotten rid of the athame he used to keep in here.”

“No shortage of that,” a voice teases from the doorway. The shape-shifter holds up his own athame with a smirk, already smeared with Laura’s blood from earlier. “Now be a good little witch and die.”

 

Laura giggles and both the demon and Carmilla stare at her as if she’s lost it. “You’re not the brightest demon in the pack, are ya?” she laughs.

The demon quirks an eyebrow. “What in the blazes are you laughing about?”

Laura shrugs. “Oh, gee, I dunno… Could it be that I was looking for a knife and you just come in proudly announcing that you’ve got one of your own?”

“Yeah, which I’m going to kill you with,” he sneers.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Or I could tell you to… _kill yourself with that athame_.”

His eyes widen as he turns the blade on himself and plunges it into his chest. Within moments, he implodes, and they’re staring at an empty doorway.

 

Carmilla raises an eyebrow at Laura. “So… you don’t need any mouth-to-mouth?”

"You are unbelievable," Laura sighs.

 

* * *

 

Laura hands Carmilla a mug of hot chocolate and settles on the couch beside her.

“You sure you’re okay?” Carmilla asks with a small frown.

Laura nods and sips from her own mug. “A shower, hot chocolate, and Netflix? Seems to be our way of coping with drowning, right?”

Carmilla chuckles softly.

 

They get through the opening scene of a _Buffy_ episode before Laura takes a deep breath and glances over at Carmilla, pausing it. “Hey, Carm?”

“Hmm?”

“I just wanted to…” She wrings her hands together nervously. “I wanted to thank you for never pushing me to use my powers.”

Carmilla waves her hand dismissively with a scoff. “Hon, I’ll keep telling you this for as long as you need to hear it. You’re special. I don’t know why, but you are. And I don’t just mean because of your powers–– I mean, you’ve got a drive that I’ve never seen anyone else have before. You want the world to be better and you have that start with you.”

Laura grins at her.

Carmilla smiles back. “But you’re also powerful, and if it means you need some time to figure out how to deal with that, then I’ll be here every step of the way as your whitelighter to help.”

 

Laura gives a shy smile. “Even if I’m annoying?”

“Oh, there’s no ‘ _if_ ,’” Carmilla teases, making Laura laugh. “But, yeah.”

Laura averts her eyes and reaches for her mug. “You’re special too, y’know?”

“Not really, creampuff,” Carmilla replies flatly.

“You are! You care more than you let on and that’s so rare,” Laura insists. “And I’ll do anything I can to get you to see it.” She gives Carmilla a wink. “Except use my powers.”

Carmilla seems taken aback for a moment and drinks her hot chocolate to hide her speechlessness until she recovers.

 

“Ahh…” She rolls her eyes and points at the TV screen, “shaddup and continue the episode, cupcake.”

She tries to hide her face in her mug, but she knows Laura can see it anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something mention in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I promise I'm friendly  
>  This fic updates on a _Wednesday_ schedule. It's also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
>  As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	10. A Time for Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Laura's neighbor is found dead, she and Carmilla must find a way to help fulfill a centuries-old promise. Meanwhile, Laura gets some advice from an unexpected source.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a chapter filled with tidbits from a few _Charmed_ eps and a random demon I made up to tie it all together :P  
>  Thank you all for continuing to read and/or comment on my lil story <3

Carmilla falls asleep on the couch and Laura doesn’t have the heart to disturb her, so she simply slips out, carefully catching Carmilla’s head on a pillow and throwing a spare blanket over her. She contemplates going to bed herself, but finds herself too wired and winds up cleaning up the rest of the house and whatever had been trashed in the battle with the demon earlier.

Soon, the sun’s up and Laura gets started on making breakfast, which, unsurprisingly, gets Carmilla’s stirring.

 

With a yawn and a stretch, she wanders over to the kitchen area.

“I didn’t even think whitelighters need to sleep,” Laura comments, stacking pancakes and checking on the omelets.

“Just because we don’t have to, doesn’t mean we can’t,” Carmilla replies. “These are some flat looking waffles,” she remarks, pouring a cup of coffee.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Keep that up and there’ll be no food for you.”

Carmilla actually pouts and Laura giggles, serving out the rest of the food and putting it on the table.

 

“I’m gonna go get the mail,” she says, placing her own coffee mug across the table.

Carmilla mumbles an incoherent reply and takes a sip from her own. She’s enjoying the aroma of the food when there’s a panicked squeaking from outside that she can only assume is from Laura. She runs outside and it takes a moment to locate her charge.

Laura is across the street, bending over a fallen figure on the lawn, frantically motioning for Carmilla to come over.

Laura’s eyes are brimming with tears. “I-Is she––”

 

Carmilla holds her hands over the young woman, and sighs when nothing happens. “Sorry, cutie. DOA.”

“Oh, SJ,” Laura sobs.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “You knew her?”

Laura nods, wiping tears from her eyes. “We grew up together as neighbors. I didn’t know she’d moved back here…”

Carmilla slowly pats her reassuringly on the back, unsure of what to say.

 

A small haze forms around the body and Laura instinctively jumps back. A soft-focused figure rises from the ground and Laura’s mouth drops open.

“SJ?”

The figure, identical to the one on the ground, but more ethereal, cocks her head to the side in confusion. “Laur?”

Before Laura can process what she’s seeing, a shadowy man appears beside them.

 

He glances over at Carmilla and his lip twitches upward for a moment.

“Who are you?” Laura asks, getting up.

He laughs softly. “I go by many names. The Grim Reaper. The Ferryman. Death.”

Laura lets out a small gasp. “Wait… I’ve met you before.”

He pauses for a moment, examining her. “Yes… Yes. You’re Laura Hollis. I took your mother from you.”

She swallows hard and clenches her jaw, vaguely aware that Carmilla’s got a hand on the small of her back as if to support her.

He points at SJ. “Sarah Jane. It is your time,” he declares.

 

Laura shakes her head and stands between him and Sarah Jane. “No!”

Carmilla sighs and tugs Laura back. “Cupcake, you can’t… fight death.”

He stares at Laura for a moment with an unreadable expression before turning his attention back to SJ, hand reaching out for her. “Come, now.”

Laura stares at SJ, eyes wide. To her immense relief, SJ shakes her head.

“No.”

The Angel of Death scoffs. “‘No?’”

“No. I-I’m not ready to move on. I… I have unfinished business,” SJ states.

Laura’s lips twitch in a small smile, which quickly fades when the Angel narrows his eyes at her.

“Did she tell you to say this?” he asks SJ, who shakes her head. He sighs exasperatedly. “Fine. Whichever one of you I see next, see you soon. Death comes for all at one point or another.” He dissipates before them, leaving Laura to stare down at SJ’s body.

 

“Okay, what the heck is going on, Laur?” SJ’s ghost asks Laura.

Laura sighs before realizing people are staring at them in the street and starting to run over. “First, we gotta deal with your body.”

 

* * *

 

“The cops are starting an investigation,” Laura says to Carmilla, plopping down on her couch wearily.

Carmilla pouts, handing her a mug of hot chocolate she made while Laura was speaking to the authorities. Laura gives her a small grateful smile.

Another figure appears before them, arms crossed. “Explanation. Now.”

Carmilla’s pout turns into a scowl. “Calm down, Casper. You don’t get to just drop dead and then play princess and demand that Laura here––”

Laura places a hand on Carmilla’s elbow and her small grateful smile remains. “It’s fine, Carm.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes and crosses her arms with a huff.

 

“I’m a witch,” Laura says to Sarah Jane. “Or… err, half a witch. Mom was a witch. It’s why I can see you as a ghost.”

“So… I’m a ghost,” SJ exhales. “As in, I’m dead.”

Laura’s eyes widen and she stammers a bit. “Oh! Uhm, yeah. I-I’m sorry, I thought… I thought you knew…”

“Oh, I did. It’s just weird to…” SJ shakes her head. “Never mind.”

 

“You told the Angel of Death that you had unfinished business,” Carmilla points out. “What is it?”

SJ shrugs. “It’s just something my grandma always told me growing up–– ‘the best way to delay death is to tell it you have unfinished business.’”

“Glad _something_ stuck in that brain of yours,” a voice says before a little old scowling lady appears beside SJ, having the same ghostly form.

Sarah Jane’s mouth drops open. “Grammy?”

The old lady’s grumpy demeanor fades and a warm smile appears as she embraces SJ. They pull away and Grammy looks at Laura, her smile growing.

“My, my. If it isn’t little Laura Hollis.”

Carmilla snorts. “Bet she hasn’t grown since the last time you saw her.”

Laura frowns and swats at her. “You’re only like, an inch taller than me.”

“It’s an important inch,” Carmilla insists.

 

The older lady chuckles. “You’ve grown into a fine young woman.”

Laura giggles.

“Not that it’s not great to see you, Grammy, but why are you here?” SJ asks.

“Because we have unfinished business, baby,” she replies.

SJ frowns. “We do?”

Grammy nods. “Generations of our ancestors have yet to move on with one goal in mind–– gain enough combined power to avenge our family. Which I guess you wouldn’t know since your parents always told you I was crazy and not to listen to me.”

 

Grammy looks over at Laura.

“We need your help, little Laura Hollis.”

Laura cocks her head to the side, confused. “How can _I_ help?”

“Centuries ago, an upper-level demon seduced one of our ancestors, the most powerful witch among her siblings. The demon then killed her.” Grammy sighs. “None of the children from the remaining sisters were ever powerful enough to enact revenge. So they made a deal to strip future generations of their abilities–– powers, spell-casting, what have you–– and save them up until they could be used together to defeat him.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “You guys didn’t think to, oh, say, have a more powerful witch take on this demon?”

“He’s an upper-level demon, he will only appear when summoned. And he won’t show up for just anyone,” Grammy snaps.

 

“But SJ can’t use the magic now that she’s dead,” Laura points out.

Grammy sighs. “Yes, well… Unfortunately, Sarah Jane did not listen to _everything_ I told her, so she is the last of the original Wiccan line.” She looks at Laura. “Which is why we need your help. We can give you the extra power to summon this demon and vanquish it, as long as you’re willing to help us.”

Laura nods immediately. “Of course.”

Carmilla frowns and pulls Laura aside by the arm.

“Ow, Carm, what the heck?”

 

“Sorry.” Carmilla chews on her lip. “Are you sure you can handle this?” she asks gently. “I know you’re all for helping people, but this is taking on an upper-level demon who’s had centuries to prepare. What if this is more than––”

“I can do this,” Laura replies without hesitation.

Carmilla searches Laura’s eyes for any qualms and gives a small smile and nod. “Alright, cupcake. Let’s kill ourselves an upper-level demon.”

 

* * *

  

“Darn short limbs,” Laura curses under her breath.

Carmilla lets out a snort. “Shortcake.”

Laura narrows her eyes in a glare. “Well, I’m sorry, O Lanky One. Do _you_ want to get this ingredient off the shelf for me?”

“I’m good here.” Carmilla says with a shrug. “This can’t be the first time you’ve gone ingredient shopping.”

“No,” Laura says, straining to reach. “But normally I have––”

 

“Laura?” a familiar voice says.

Laura pauses and takes a deep breath before turning to face the source. “Danny.”

The tall redhead smirks and reaches up, grabbing the package Laura was reaching for and handing it to her. “That’s a rare candle to be getting,” Danny observes. “Summoning something?”

Before Laura can reply, SJ and her grandmother appear beside her. “Did you get the candles, yet?”

Laura holds up the candles and nods. “Danny, I don’t know if you remember SJ?”

Danny gives a small wave. “I remember you. Laura’s old neighbor.”

“She’s in my coven,” Laura explains. “And SJ is––”

“––Dead?” Danny supplies. “Sorry about that,” she amends when she realizes how callous it came out.

SJ shrugs. “I’m over it.”

 

Laura laughs softly.

“So then what are you summoning?” Danny asks, furrowing her eyebrows together.

“An upper-level demon who wronged her ancestor so I can vanquish it,” Laura replies.

Danny’s mouth drops open. “Hollis, don’t you think this might be out of your league?”

Laura scowls. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“I’m just saying, this isn’t like some bush league––”

 

Laura scoffs, taking a step away from Danny. “Since leaving the house, do you know what I’ve done? I’ve taken on the Fear Demon. I helped a Cupid stop a Hate Demon from breaking up couples. And I took out a shape-shifter. All of it without your ‘ _help_.’”

Danny swallows hard. “I…”

Grammy sighs exasperatedly. “Can we move on, please? Some of us have an afterlife to get to.”

Laura scoffs. “Bye, Danny,” she says, brushing past her to go to the cash register.

 

Danny steps in front of Carmilla as she trails behind Laura. “Who are you? You were at the house when she stormed out, too.”

Carmilla glares at her. “I’m someone who’s had more faith in Laura in the short time I’ve known her than you’ve had in all the time you’ve known her.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Danny demands, glaring back at her.

 

Laura’s got her candles in a shopping bag and walks back over. “Danny, you can leave me _and_ my whitelighter alone. Don’t make me use my powers on you,” she declares, tugging Carmilla to follow.

Danny’s eyes widen as she remains speechless in watching them leave.

“Laura has a whitelighter? Laura has _powers_?”

  

* * *

 

 

Laura arranges the candles in a ring and steps back. “Is this good?”

SJ checks the diagram in the book Laura dug out of her attic and nods. “Perfect.”

Carmilla walks in with slips of paper in hand. “Here are the spells Grammy recited to me,” she says, handing it to Laura.

“Are you sure you wanna do this?” SJ asks.

Laura nods. “Of course.”

Grammy smiles. “Well, as of–– _now_ —you have been granted the collective power of our lineage.”

Laura’s eyes immediately blaze with a fire and there’s a crackle of electricity in the air. “Holy Hermione,” she exhales.

 

She takes a deep breath, buzzing with energy. A few moments pass before she starts to light the candles. She holds out the piece of paper.

“ _Hear these words,_

_Hear my plea,_

_Demon I wish to see,_

_Come to me_

_To face justice,_

_I summon thee._ ”

 

Laura waits ten seconds before letting out an annoyed huff.

“It didn’t work,” Carmilla sighs, turning to face Grammy. “Sure you got the spell right?”

Grammy nods. “Definitely.”

Laura’s face bunches up in frustration. “Enajaras, _get your ass over here_!”

Carmilla fails to stifles a chuckle as a ripple appears in the ring of candles.

A demon, clad in black formal wear, shimmers in, bewildered. “H-How was I…”

“I summoned you,” Laura says.

“I heard your summoning, girl,” he growls. “And I decidedly chose to ignore it. And yet…”

Carmilla snickers. “Ha-ha, _she used her powers on you_ ,” she mocks.

 

He stares at her. “Power of persuasion?”

Laura nods. “ _Don’t even think about shimmering out_ ,” she commands. She flips to the next sheet of paper.

“Can’t we talk this out?” Enajaras asks, a slight waver in his voice betraying his smirk. His eyes wander to SJ and Grammy’s forms.

Laura shakes her head, immediately going to the spell.

“ _Spirits of this wronged wiccan line_

_Hovering through the passage of time_

_Collected is all of your power_

_And in this much awaited hour_

_Shall this vanquish come to pass_

_Erase from existence Enajaras._ ”

 

He screams out in agony and grabs at his chest, exploding in a fiery blast.

“Y-You did it,” SJ says in disbelief.

Laura lets out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. There’s a small gust and she slumps over with a groan. “Holy hufflepuff.”

“Whoa, whoa.” Carmilla is at her side in an instant, propping her up. “Careful, sundance. You just had generations of Wiccan energy poured into you and then sucked out.”

Laura lets Carmilla lead her to the couch and sits back. “Ow.”

Grammy lets out an unexpected cheer and everyone jumps. “If I could hug you right now, Laura Hollis, I would.”

 

“That would be my cue,” a voice says as the Angel of Death appears. “I believe your unfinished business has just concluded.”

Laura sits up, ignoring Carmilla’s soft protests. “Wait.”

“No.” The Angel of Death turns to face her. “Laura Hollis, it’s been quite some time––for you, anyway–– but I still remember you. Little Laura Hollis, begging me not to take her mommy away from her.”

Laura’s mouth drops open. “Y-You remember?”

 

He nods gravely. “A little girl who grabbed at an incorporeal being and tried to tell him that the bad monster who killed her mommy shouldn’t be enough to take her away. Even then, your power of persuasion was strong. I almost didn’t take her.”

He steps closer to Laura, his eyes gentle but his face unyielding.

“But you are no longer that little Laura Hollis. There is a grand scheme of things. A time for everything, and to everything its place–– and if I didn’t take someone when it was their time, then that would be disrupting it all.”

Laura takes a shaky breath.

“Now, you’ve been struggling with the implications of your powers. The ability to change someone’s will with some simple commands uttered by you. The potential to mold a world as you see fit.” He pauses, letting his words sink in. “I will be honest–– you have the power to tell me not to take them, and I won’t. So, I leave it in your hands. Laura Hollis, grown up, with the power of persuasion–– do I take Sarah Jane and her grandmother to the afterlife?”

Laura meets his eyes. She reaches for Carmilla’s hand and it’s quickly wrapped around hers, followed by a reassuring squeeze.

 

“Yes.” Laura’s voice shakes, but she remains resolute. She turns to SJ and Grammy. “Blessed be.”

Both of them look at Laura with warm, grateful expressions. “Blessed be.”

The Angel of Death has an almost imperceptible smile before waving his hand at them, and they disappear from view. He gives a nod to Carmilla.

“I like her. Try not to let her die prematurely, too, hmm?”

He teleports out, leaving a wide-eyed Carmilla behind.

 

Laura frowns, wiping away the tears from seeing her friend move on. “What did he mean by that?”

Carmilla swallows hard and shakes her head. “Nothing.”

“But, Carm––”

“I said, I don’t want to talk about it,” Carmilla snaps. “I forgot I have to be… anywhere else,” she growls before orbing out.

 

Before Laura can figure out what just happened, two figures orb in.

“Kirsch? J.P.?”

“Bro, we need your help,” Kirsch says, plopping down beside Laura.

Laura’s eyebrows furrow together.

“LaFontaine, Perry, and Danny have all gone missing,” J.P. explains with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, if you're a non- _Charmed_ fan and need elaboration or clarification, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Or, if you have questions or comments in general :P  
>  This fic runs on a _Wednesday_ update schedule. The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
>  Again, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	11. A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura investigates what happened to her friends, leading to a reunion and the revelation that Carmilla is not who she says she is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)

Kirsch and J.P. orb Laura into the coven house.

“They asked us to look into… something–– and when we came back with our findings, they were nowhere to be found. We tried sensing for them, calling them on the phone–– nothing. No explanation for where they could’ve gone, either,” J.P. frets.

Laura frowns and starts looking around the kitchen and living room for clues. “What kind of demons have they been hunting after I left?”

“They’ve gone after a siren and a banshee,” Kirsch replies.

“Maybe the siren took them?” Laura suggests.

J.P. shakes his head. “We would still be able to sense them.”

 

Laura frowns, making her way up the stairs before she pauses. “When did they get this painting?”

It’s a large framed picture of a country home, surrounded by grass and a forest in the background. There’s a fence around the property and a gate leading to the main road. The house itself has a nice shady porch and a tiny sign outside of it.

Kirsch shrugs. “When we were here yesterday, they still had it wrapped up. D-bear said she bought it at the Magik Shop when she was buying potion ingredients.”

“Hmm.” Laura squints at the painting, starting to voice her thoughts out loud to brainstorm. “Danny buys this painting. LaF says to hang it up here, coz they’ve always said it felt weird for this spot in the house to be bare. Perry would think it looks so great that she would take a picture–– either for Instagram, or to send to me…”

Laura backs up the turn on the stairs to where Perry would’ve gotten a better view of the painting. She finds a phone on the stairs.

“Perry’s phone,” J.P. notes.

“She was always too trusting to put a passcode on it,” Laura says with a giggle as she picks it up and unlocks it. The most recent picture is of the painting.

 

She brings it downstairs to the whitelighters.

“So, they hang up the painting and take a picture. What next?” Kirsch asks, worry evident in his voice.

“I don’t think there is a ‘next,’” Laura replies. “Why else would Perry have dropped this phone and not picked it up?” She sighs, about to relock the phone when something catches her eye. She focuses on the picture on the phone, zooming in on the small sign, which seems to be glowing.

“What is it?” J.P. asks.

Laura hands them the phone and walks closer to the painting.

 

“You see how the sign next to the house is glowing?” she asks them. They both nod and she gestures for them to walk over. “It’s not doing that on the actual painting.”

“Maybe they turned the flash on?” Kirsch offers.

Laura shakes her head. “Perry doesn’t believe in using flash for pictures unless absolutely necessary. Says it ruins the authentic feel.” She sighs and squints at the painting. “I can’t quite make out what the sign says. It looks like it says ‘ _captum_ ,’ but…”

She pulls out her phone and aims it so it can focus on the painting.

“Lemme just take a picture on my phone and see if we can clear it up…” She presses the button and there’s a huge flash of light. It engulfs the room in a blinding moment, before quickly fading.

 

“Oh, bother,” J.P. sighs when she realizes Laura’s vanished–– and, in her place remains her phone on the ground.

 

* * *

 

 

Laura’s head is spinning and she collapses to the ground with a groan. She vaguely makes out some frantic voices, and it gradually clears into urgent muffled calls of her name. Finally forcing her eyes open, she’s relieved to find three redheads staring back at her.

“––ra, what are you doing here?” Danny asks as Laura blinks hard to clear her head.

“What?” she mumbles.

Perry’s eyebrows furrow in concern. “Laura, sweetie, what are you doing here?”

Laura tries to stand up, but the world spins again so she decides against it. “J.P. and Kirsch came to me and said you guys were missing… I noticed the new painting and tried to get a better view of the sign and then…”

“Then you got sucked right into the painting like we did,” LaF says with a sigh.

 

Laura’s eyes widen. “What?”

Danny huffs and gestures at the house around them. “We’re stuck in the house in the painting.”

Laura slowly manages to get up and looks around, heading for the front door. “’Stuck?’ Have you tried––”

“STOP!” a new voice rings through the home.

Laura pauses, staring at an angry-looking brunette in a t-shirt and jeans.

“Don’t go out there.”

 

Laura frowns.

Danny pulls up a chair and gestures for Laura to sit on it. “Take a seat, Hollis. It’s a bit of a doozy of a situation we’re in.”

Laura sits, keeping her eyes on the brunette.

 

“My name’s Steph. I’m the owner of this painting.” She sits on an armchair facing Laura as the others sit on a couch nearby. “It’s been passed down in my family for generations. Centuries ago, my ancestor was hunting a demon that could travel through any surface created by a liquid. He was ravaging her village, so finally she managed to trick him and trapped him in a jar of paint. Knowing it would never last, she enchanted it and used it to trap evil in this painting, sealing it with a visual spell.”

“The sign outside the house,” Laura offers.

Danny’s mouth drops open. “How’d you figure that one out?”

Laura gives her a side glance. “I’m not as useless as you thought I was, huh?”

“I never said––”

“––Anyway,” Laura interrupts Danny.

 

Steph clears her throat. “ _Anyway_ , the demon is stuck outside of this house in this painting. I guess the house’s sign was kind of a protection spell for it?” She shrugs. “It was all fine until I was auctioning off belongings from my family vault for charity and this accidentally got placed in the ‘sell’ pile against my orders. I went to go stop some fool from putting it on display as they were taking pictures of the items, and we both got sucked in here.”

Laura looks around. “Where are they?”

“He… stepped outside the house. The demon killed him within seconds.” Steph looks outside the window, eyes welling up.

Laura reaches out and pats her reassuringly. “We’ll figure a way out of this. Assuming we’re not trapped here like the demon.”

 

“Not to sound defeatist, L, but how?” LaF sighs. “We’ve been here for a day and have zero ideas.”

“I’ll think of something!” Laura insists.

Perry gets up and starts to pace. “I know you’ve been vanquishing demons on your own, sweetie, but I don’t even know where to start with this. We’re not just dealing with a demon. We’re dealing with an enchanted painting.”

Laura closes her eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Hollis? You okay?” Danny asks.

“The painting–– there’s a house, with a forest,” Laura murmurs, trying to remember what the painting looked like from the outside.

“Yeah, that’s probably where the demon’s been staying. It’s where he dragged th-the body off to,” Steph says.

 

“The house, a forest, the sign outside to protect the house…” Laura’s eyes snap open, and she rushes to the window. “The gate! The road.”

“Not following,” LaF says gently.

“If you squint down the road, there’s just- there’s nothing,” Laura observes, squinting down the distance.

“Well, that’s just great,” Perry groans.

“No, I mean––” Laura whirls to face them. “I think if we can make it down the road, we’re free. It’s just a bright light down there!”

 

“What about the demon?” Steph frets.

Laura grins at her. “Leave the demon to me.”

Danny stands up and walks towards Laura. “Hollis––”

“NO!” Laura shouts, making everyone jump. “Whatever you’re about to say about me not being able to handle this demon, or not being strong enough, or some overly protective crap–– I _don’t want to hear it_.”

Danny shuts her mouth and swallows hard.

“Wait,” Laura says. “Crap–– I didn’t mean to use my power on you.” She buries her face in her hands. “ _Say whatever it is you were gonna say_.”

 

“You have powers?” Perry asks in a whisper. Danny, LaFontaine, and Perry all stare at Laura in shock.

“I–– Yeah,” Laura replies sheepishly. “Ever since I left the house, I’ve been working on using them properly, but I still don’t have a perfect handle on them when I get upset.”

Danny finally manages to speak. “And the power is to… command people to do things?”

“The power of persuasion,” LaF identifies.

Laura nods.

“That explains why her spell-casting is so much stronger than ours,” Perry observes. “Those gifts mean witches have a more powerful and capable mind.”

 

Danny sighs and sits down on a chair, staring at a spot on the floor. “Look. Before you used your powers on me… I-I wasn’t gonna patronize you or anything like that,” she says slowly.

“You weren’t?” Laura asks, surprised.

Danny shakes her head. “Ever since you stormed out, I’ve been reflecting on things. Everything. How much you’ve fought to get to where you are, how much you fight every day. How we treat you.”

She looks up to meet Laura’s eyes.

“And, yeah, we’ve been overly protective of you. It’s just… You’re our Laura, y’know? The tough little cookie of the group, but it doesn’t mean…” Danny looks to LaF and Perry, who nod their support. “We just don’t want something to happen to you.”

“I know,” Laura replies softly. “I appreciate that. I just don’t want to be treated like some child.”

“I get that,” Danny says immediately. “I never–– _We never_ meant to make you feel inferior to us, or weak, or anything like that. It was never meant to come off that way.”

 

“What was?” Laura asks.

Danny looks to the others for help and Perry takes over. “After our parents were killed and the decision was made for you to go to Magic School to learn to protect yourself, your dad came to us. He made us promise to keep an eye on you and make sure we did everything in our power to make sure you were as safe as possible.”

LaF nods. “He made us pinkie swear.”

 

“And we apparently took it way too far,” Danny says. “And for that, we apologize.”

“We’re not sorry for looking out for you,” Perry clarifies.

“We’re sorry for making you feel less than,” Danny says softly. “When you’re better than any of us give you credit for.”

 

Laura gives them a watery smile and sniffles. “Y-You guys…”

“Group hug?” LaF asks, making Laura laugh and nod eagerly.

The group embraces for a few moments.

“Okay, let’s stop before we squish Laura,” Perry states, making everyone laugh.

 

They break and LaF nudges Laura. “So, what’s the plan?”

Laura takes a deep breath. “Everyone just run for the gate. If the demon shows up, I’ll deal with him.”

Danny raises an eyebrow. “You sure?”

Laura nods confidently. “Trust me. A simple plan is how I vanquished the ever-elusive demon, Updog.”

Perry frowns. “What’s Updog?”

“Not much,” Laura puns with a wink.

LaF groans and facepalms. “Hollis, get us out of here before I kill you. Even if I did miss your dumb jokes.”

Laura giggles and stands by the door.

 

Steph walks to the group.

“Ready?” Laura asks everyone, getting a unanimous ‘yes.’

She swings the door open and watches as everyone makes a mad dash for the gate. Danny gets there first and opens it, hesitating for a moment before stepping through without Laura, who’s trailing behind the group.

There’s a small ripple and Laura feels a strong grip on her arm from behind her. She lets out a surprised yelp and the others halt just as they get to the road.

“Gonna abandon the tiny one, are you?” the demon sneers. He towers over Laura, his dark features contrasting against his pale skin. "The last fella was useless to me. A powerless human. Are you a witch?" he asks, grinning.

 

Laura steels herself and stands her ground. “ _Let go of me_.”

His eyebrows furrow in confusion as he slowly releases her from his grasp.

“ _Stay here,_ ” Laura commands, taking two tentative steps away from him. He doesn’t follow.

His face contorts in anger. “W-What…”

Laura smirks. “ _Go back to the forest and stay there_.”

He spins on his heel and slowly marches back.

Laura does a mocking salute and catches up to the group, who stares at her in shock.

 

“Th-That really _was_ simple,” Perry observes.

Laura grins as she walks beside her friends down the road.

 

* * *

  

“Maybe we should set the painting on fire?” Kirsch suggests.

“You’re mad!” J.P. shouts. “For all we know, they’ve been sucked into the painting!”

Kirsch pouts. “Oh! Maybe it’s like ChalkZone! What if we paint a road for them?”

“Are you blind? There was already a road,” J.P. sighs.

Kirsch cocks his head to the side. “There was?”

J.P. nods. “See for yourself.”

 

Kirsch walks up the stairs and lets out a loud gasp. “Bro! Dude! _DUDE_!”

“ _What_?” J.P. groans.

“I see them! On the road!”

“See _what_ on the road?” J.P. grumbles, heading up the steps, too. He stops and gawks as he sees his charges, as well as Danny, Laura, and another figure on the road. There’s a faint one walking away from them, going towards the forest.

Kirsch waves at the painting. “Yo! D-Bear!”

“I don’t think she can hear you,” J.P. says. “Plus you know she hates it when you call her that.”

 

Orbs light up the living room and they turn to face them.

“Laura?” the new arrival calls.

She sees the two guys and frowns. “Who are you guys?”

“Who are you?” they ask at the same time, going downstairs.

She ignores their question. “Do you guys know where Laura is?”

Kirsch’s eyes widen. “Whoa! Are you Ca––”

 

There’s a bright flash and suddenly, the entire group flies out of the painting and onto the steps.

They lie there groaning as J.P. and Kirsch help untangle them one at a time. Kirsch pulls Danny up and the last one off the ground is Laura, who’s grumbling about Danny crushing her.

Carmilla lets out a sigh of relief as Laura descends the stairs.

“Laura really saved our asses,” Danny says to Kirsch and J.P.

 

Laura beams at her and pauses when she sees her whitelighter.

“Carm?”

“I-I, I, uh,” Carmilla clears her throat awkwardly. “I went back to your dad’s house and when I didn’t find you there, I thought these bone heads might know where you are, and then you weren’t here, so…”

Laura giggles. “Well, I’m here now.”

 

Danny walks up to Carmilla and holds out a hand. “We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Danny. You must be Carmilla, Laura’s whitelighter.”

Carmilla scowls at the extended hand. “Must I be?”

Kirsch walks up to Danny, wringing his hands together. “Uhm, D-Bear? You know how you asked me and J.P. to look into Carmilla yesterday before you guys went missing?”

Carmilla freezes, getting ready to orb out.

Danny gives Kirsch a confused nod.

“Bro, we asked the Elders. She’s not Laura’s assigned whitelighter. In fact, they’ve never heard of Carmilla before.”

 

Laura’s eyes widen and her mouth drops open.

Danny’s friendly demeanor instantly fades and her eyes narrow as she turns her attention back to Carmilla, grabbing her arm. “You have ten seconds to tell us who the Hell you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The penny drops.  
> Fun fact: as I was editing this, I realized I never wrote the gang's revelation to Laura's powers LOL. Aaaand that's why I wait so long to edit after writing chapters.
> 
> Once again, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something mention in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I promise I'm friendly :P  
>  This fic updates on a _Wednesday_ schedule. It's also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
>  As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	12. Nothing But The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura gets the truth from Carmilla about her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *exposition*  
> As always, I am so grateful to you all for reading and commenting! <3

Carmilla swallows hard. “I don’t have to answer this.”

Laura takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. “Carmilla, _don’t you dare orb out_.” She opens her eyes, the pain and regret in them wounding Carmilla more than any Darklighter’s arrow ever could. “Please don’t make me use my powers on you again,” she begs, her voice cracking.

Carmilla doesn’t move, watching as a tear rolls down Laura’s cheek.

“Who the hell are you?” Danny repeats. “Don’t make me ask again.”

“I-I’m a whitelighter,” Carmilla says softly.

“Don’t lie,” LaF asserts, stepping forward with a supportive hand wrapped around Laura’s arm. “Laura, tell her not to lie.”

 

“I’m not using my powers on her again unless I have to,” Laura says weakly.

“I’m not lying,” Carmilla asserts. “I’m a whitelighter. I just wasn’t assigned to Laura.”

Kirsch scoffs. “The Elders have never heard of someone by your name.”

Carmilla stares down at the ground. “No, they wouldn’t have. But ask them about a Mircalla Karnstein.”

“Are you saying your real name is Mircalla Karnstein?” J.P. asks.

Carmilla nods silently.

“You’re _the_ Mircalla Karnstein?” he asks, garnering some confused looks. “Good lord, you _are_.”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow and slowly meets his gaze. “You’ve heard of me?”

J.P. nods. “I became a whitelighter right after you… Well, after what happened to you.”

Laura looks at Carmilla with nothing but concern in her eyes. “What happened to you?”

 

Carmilla’s eyes flicker from looking at J.P. to Laura, and then back again, expecting him to recount her story.

He shakes his head. “I believe it would not be my place to tell this tale?”

Carmilla presses her lips together, averting her eyes once again. “I… only want to tell Laura.”

Danny scoffs. “Yeah, I don’t think that’s hap––”

“Fine,” Laura interrupts, shocking Carmilla into looking back up. “Well, actually, not _totally_ fine.” Laura glances over at J.P. “You tell me and J.P. If there are any gaps in the story he can’t corroborate, then…”

Carmilla nods slowly. “There won’t be.”

Laura sighs, taking J.P.’s hand and holding out her other hand for Carmilla to take. “There better not be.”

 

The trio orbs into Laura’s dad’s living room and Laura gestures for Carmilla to sit on a chair while she and J.P. take the couch.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Laura says gently to Carmilla.

Carmilla wasn’t ready for that tone. She was expecting some sort of harsh interrogation. She was expecting yelling and screaming and anger. She wasn’t expecting… _Kindness_?

Then again, this is Laura Hollis.

 

Carmilla sighs, and then takes a deep breath.

“I was born Mircalla, daughter of the Count Karnstein in Styria, a dutchy of Austria in 1680. Austria was embroiled in the great war against the Ottoman Empire. My father wanted nothing more than to marry me off to whoever would bring him the most power out of the deal, but I was too busy sneaking off to help tend to our soldiers. One night, it was a case of wrong place, wrong time, and I was killed by an enemy soldier. Drowned in a damn river.”

Laura’s eyes widen. Suddenly Carmilla overcoming Barbas paralyzing her with fear to save Laura seems all the more profound.

“I awoke in a place of the purist light, surrounded by angels who told me that because of the good I’d done during my time on Earth, I had been selected to be a guardian angel to those in need of guidance and help–– I became a whitelighter.”

She looks to J.P., who nods in confirmation.

 

“And I was a pretty darn good one for a while,” Carmilla continues. “Kept all my charges alive until their time came. Got to help witches and future whitelighters do good.” She swallows hard. “Until 1872.”

She looks to Laura, who’s remained silent and attentive.

“I was assigned to take care of an up-and-coming witch named Ell. She was so… pure and kind and sweet.” Carmilla allows a small smile to make its way onto her face. “She didn’t treat me like just a whitelighter. She treated me like a friend. It wasn’t just about training her to use her powers, or to vanquish demons, or whatever. It was more than that. It was great. There was such a high level of camaraderie and trust and––”

 

Carmilla’s voice cracks and Laura instinctively reaches out and places her hand on Carmilla’s knee to give it a squeeze.

Carmilla’s lips twitch upward for a moment before she continues. “We went to go clear out a nest of lower level demons one night. She took out half a dozen of them on her own. We were too busy laughing, on a high from the hunt and I… I didn’t even see him.” She swallows hard, tears forming in her eyes. “I didn’t see another demon hiding in the shadows. He caught her by surprise and h-he… He killed her. I tried to heal her, but I was too late. I tried begging the Angel of Death not to take her, b-because…”

The words catch in Carmilla’s throat and she has to stop talking.

“You loved her,” Laura supplies gently. “Oh, Carm. You loved her.”

Carmilla sniffles with a nod.

 

J.P. clears his throat. “Uhm, not to… ruin a moment, but that’s where my knowledge of you ends. There’s no further record of your endeavors as a whitelighter after 1872. It was said that you quit and fell off the radar–– one of the very few to do so.”

Laura goes to get Carmilla a box of tissues before giving her a small nod to continue.

Carmilla lets out a shaky breath. “I spiraled into a depression after I lost Ell. Told the Elders I quit. A few weeks went by and then I was approached by this woman. She called herself the Dean.”

Laura raises an eyebrow. “I read about her in Magic School. Isn’t she like, a super-old Seer, like the Crone?”

Carmilla nods. “She came to me and said that someone like me didn’t deserve to waste away. She wanted to use my talents as a whitelighter.”

She slowly looks away from Laura, hating herself already for the part she needs to tell next.

“She wanted me to lure powerful witches that she sees in visions as ‘chosen’ for a sacrifice. Witches that need to be delivered to voluntarily give themselves up.”

 

It takes a few moments for the words to settle in.

Laura’s mouth drops open. “You-You’ve spent the past 140 years sacrificing witches? Tricking them?”

Carmilla stays still and silent.

“ _Look at me_ ,” Laura says, her voice cracking. Carmilla meets her gaze. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean to use my powers, but… it’s the least I deserve right now, I think.”

“Yeah.” Carmilla nods. “Yes, you deserve me to look you in the eyes and tell you I’ve been lying to witches that I’m their assigned whitelighter, and leading them to the Dean. Witches from covens all over the world. I guess I’m surprised no one’s really put it together–– that witch that Cryto killed from the old folks’ home is the first to even vaguely recognize me. I must’ve sacrificed a member of her coven years ago.”

 

J.P. sighs. “What’s the sacrifice for?”

Carmilla shakes her head. “I don’t know.”

“What’s been happening to the real assigned whitelighters?” Laura asks.

“I don’t know,” Carmilla repeats.

Laura picks up a paperweight her father left lying around and throws it against the wall in anger. “ _Carmilla_ , I swear––”

“I really don’t know,” Carmilla insists, trying and failing to keep from crying. “She wouldn’t tell me anything about the sacrifice and she won’t tell me about who I’m replacing in case… I guess, in case this whole thing falls through like now. Plausible deniability.”

Laura pauses for a moment, fuming. She leans in closer to Carmilla. “ _Tell me the truth about the sacrifices and the whitelighters_.”

“I am,” Carmilla replies, voice cracking.

 

Laura hovers for a moment longer before settling back in the couch.

“Did you and Kirsch find out what happened to my real whitelighter?” she asks.

J.P. swallows hard for a moment, staring down at his hands in his lap.

“J.P.?” Laura presses.

“Your original whitelighter was an Elizabeth Spielsdorf. She was shot dead by a Darklighter the day after you came out of Magic School,” he replies, his voice barely audible. “The Elders were investigating but they told us not to tell you because they didn’t have a replacement ready and didn’t want you to panic. But… Betty was a real sweet lady and a great friend. You would’ve liked her.”

Laura’s heart breaks and she gives him a small hug.

 

She pulls away and a minute passes in a tense silence before Laura takes a deep breath. “Carm, what am I supposed to do, now? What am I supposed to do with this information?”

“I don’t know,” Carmilla says again. “But after all this time we’ve spent together… I just know I can’t let you get sacrificed.”

“You were gonna hand me over like I was Dawn Summers? I’m supposed to be sacrificed?” Laura yelps.

Carmilla stammers for a few moments before she’s rendered speechless.

“I do believe Carmilla only takes on a new charge when she’s meant to sacrifice them,” J.P. says delicately to Laura. “Am I right?”

Carmilla’s non-reply is the only response Laura needs, as she stands and starts pacing.

 

“That’s why you were so adamant I didn’t tell anyone I had a whitelighter,” Laura realizes. “This… This whole time, you’ve been pretending to be my whitelighter, pretending to be my friend?” she asks, her voice getting shrill.

Carmilla lets out a shaky breath. “Yes, I’ve been pretending to be your whitelighter. But Laura, whatever went beyond that–– our _friendship_ , that… It was real.”

Laura stomps her foot. “If it was real, you would’ve told me the truth!”

“I-I wanted to,” Carmilla whispers.

“ _Tell me the truth_ ,” Laura demands with a shake of her head.

“I hoped you’d never find out so you wouldn’t see me for the monster I am,” Carmilla admits.

 

Laura huffs and plops back down on the couch. “I hate this,” she says, burying her face in her hands. “I hate using my powers on people. I hate that you’re the one person I never wanted to use my powers on because I _trusted_ _you_ so much. I hate that my real whitelighter is dead and I’m supposed to get sacrificed and don’t know what to do.”

She lets out a small sob and Carmilla wants to hug her and tell her it’ll be okay. But she can’t, not when she’s the one who put Laura in this position.

 

“Get out.” Laura looks up and Carmilla’s eyes widen, mouth dropping open.

“What?”

“Get out, Carmilla,” Laura says.

It’s not a magical command, and Carmilla shakes her head. “Laura––”

Laura’s face hardens. “I can’t trust you and for all I know, you’re still putting my life in danger.”

“You’re in more danger if I’m _not_ here, and that’s the truth!” Carmilla insists.

“ _Get out,_ ” Laura commands.

 

Carmilla’s eyes widen and she seems to resist for a second before sighing and orbing out.

Laura sniffles. “J.P.? Can you orb me back to the house, please?”

“Of course,” he nods.

They return to the house, where everyone looks up, both eager to know what Carmilla said, but concerned by how defeated Laura appears.

Laura shakes her head and lets out a sniffle. Danny rushes over to hug her and Laura lets her.

“I thought she was my friend,” Laura sobs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I once explained that this fic is basically split into three parts-- One, dealing with Laura finding out about her powers. The next was dealing with the fallout from that and ending in Laura learning about Carmilla. And the last is this whole sacrifice thing. Thanks for sticking with it this far!  
> This fic currently runs on a _Wednesday_ update schedule. I'm almost done writing it (on the last chapter), so I'm playing around with the idea of changing it up again to maybe two or even three times a week. If you've got an opinion either way, lemme know :P
> 
> Once again, if you're a non- _Charmed_ fan and need elaboration or clarification, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Or, if you have questions or comments in general :P  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	13. Take It Slow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the guidance of her friends, Laura tries to keep her mind off Carmilla by returning to the nursing home. When a potential magical case presents itself, Laura has to face whether she can deal with the pain of remembering her budding friendship with Carmilla.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still haven't decided if I'm going to change the update schedule, but I did figure out that this chapter felt weird to upload by itself, so this update will be a twofer. Hope you enjoy both chapters!

It’s been a couple weeks since Laura moved back into the coven house. She hasn’t heard from Carmilla, and that’s probably for the best. Laura had been moping until Perry sat down beside her bed and gently suggested she go back to volunteer at the nursing home to try and get her mind off things.

 

“Hey, Laura,” Natalie greets.

Laura mumbles a reply and continues rummaging through the closet for a spare blanket for one of the residents.

“You okay?”

Laura nods quietly.

Natalie doesn’t look convinced but isn’t too keen on pushing her so she simply shrugs. “I just wanted to let you know that you can skip Mrs. Simpson’s room during your rounds. She’s got 24-hour surveillance right now.”

Laura raises an eyebrow. “What happened?”

“When her daughter left after visitation a couple days ago, her daughter-in-law came in from out of town. Afterwards, Mrs. Simpson slipped into a coma. We don’t know what’s caused it, so we’re monitoring her.”

 

“That’s weird. She was totally healthy, wasn’t she?”

Natalie nods. “We can’t get into contact with her daughter or her daughter-in-law.”

“I didn’t know she had a daughter-in-law,” Laura frets.

“Yeah, we didn’t, either. Well, she’s more of an ex.” Natalie shrugs. “The lady said she and Mrs. Simpson’s daughter had gotten divorced but they remained on good terms.”

Laura’s eyes widen before she clears her throat and shakes her head. “Okay, thanks for the heads up about my rounds,” she says, before walking away.

She pulls out her phone and dials Danny’s number.

 

“I think there’s demonic activity here,” she whispers into the phone.

“Again?” Danny chuckles. “Is this nursing home like a hot spot for bad guys, or something?”

Laura groans. “Tell me about it.”

“Why do you think there’s a demon this time?” Danny asks.

 

“This resident was perfectly healthy, but after her daughter visited, a daughter-in-law I’d never heard about before dropped by. And then the resident fell into a coma and no one knows what’s causing it.”

“That does sound weird,” Danny admits. There’s a pause for a few moments before Danny speaks again. “Well, Hollis… You are more than capable of handling this right now. But if you need help at any time, call us. You can do this.”

Laura’s smile is so wide it almost splits her face in half. “Thank you, Danny.”

“And if you need to talk–– about demons or Ca— anything else, feel free to also call about that.” Danny lets that statement sit for a couple seconds, knowing she won’t get a reply. “Good luck, short stuff,” she says with a chuckle before hanging up.

 

Laura takes a deep breath, staring down at the screen of her list of favorite contacts. Right above Danny’s name is Carmilla’s. Her finger hovers above the name before she sighs, locks the phone, and pockets it. _Not yet_.

 

She goes to the records room and pulls up Mrs. Simpson’s file, dialing the daughter’s number. It goes to voicemail, and Laura prepares herself.

“Hello, Miss Simpson. It’s Laura from the Styria Elderly Extended Care Facility. I’m calling about your mother.”

Laura pauses. She really doesn’t want to do this, but if she’s right and something beyond science and medicine is afoot, then she’ll regret hesitating.

“ _Please return my call immediately_ ,” she finishes, using her power. The message ends with her leaving her number before hanging up.

 _Guess there’s nothing left to do but wait_. 

 

* * *

 

 

Laura’s in the middle of changing bed sheets when she gets tackled into a hug.

“Perry!” she greets brightly, seeing the curls in her peripheral.

“How are you?” Perry replies, giving Laura one more squeeze.

Laura spins to see Perry, LaF, and Danny standing there with a fast food takeout bag. Danny holds it up with a grin.

“Can we sit at the cool kids’ table?” she teases, making Laura giggle.

 

Laura leads them to the cafeteria and goes to wash her hands before joining them.

“It’s been so long since we’ve done this,” she sighs happily.

Danny nods, handing Laura her burger and fries. “We said that we missed visiting you here and having weekend lunches. Plus we figured we’d help you case the joint.”

“Anything new since you called Lawrence?” LaF asks. They hold up their backpack and pull the Book of Shadows out just enough for Laura to see it before slipping it back in.

Laura shakes her head, taking a bite from her burger. “Waiting on the daughter to call me back.”

LaF nudges her. “Did you… you know… try to _persuade_ her?”

“I’m not sure if it works over the phone, but yes,” Laura nods.

 

Perry pokes around her fries. “And how are you feeling… otherwise?”

 _Carmilla_. Laura frowns and sighs.

“I dunno. Carm was with me for weeks and… it was all lies.” She huffs. “I need more time. Right now it just kinda hurts any time I think about her.”

Danny nods. “Let’s just focus on the possible demony thing going on right now?”

“Absolutely,” Laura replies. “I was––”

 

“Laura?” a voice calls from the doorway.

Laura immediately turns to face it. “Miss Simpson!”

“Please, call me Hall,” the middle-aged lady says, nervously looking around. “Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

 

Laura nods, bringing the group to a private meeting room. “There’s no meetings scheduled for today, so we’re fine.”

“Can I eat my burger in here?” LaF asks.

Laura giggles. “Duh. But may I have the Book of Shadows, please?”

LaF nods, mouth already full of burger, and puts the Book on the table.

Hall sits down across from Laura and plays with a ring on her finger. “You called? About my mother?”

 

“Yes.” Laura clears her throat. “Your mother is… Well, she’s in a coma right now.”

“I heard from messages the nurses left me,” Hall says softly. “What caused it?”

Laura carefully avoids the question. “After your last visit, your ex-wife came by.”

Hall’s eyes widen. “I don’t have an ex-wife.”

“That’s what I feared,” Laura frets.

“Who the hell visited my mother? She was fine when I left and now they’re saying…” Hall’s eyes well up with tears and Laura immediately reaches out to grab her hands reassuringly.

“Miss Si–– Hall, why didn’t you call back sooner?” Laura asks gently.

Hall shakes her head. “I’ve been busy,” she says through a sniffle. She slowly looks up and holds Laura’s gaze for a few seconds. “You didn’t have to use magical powers on me, you know.”

 

Laura’s mouth drops open and she lets go of Hall’s hands. “Wh- I- I wouldn’t…” Laura swallows hard. “How do you know?”

Hall sighs, burying her face in her hands. “Laura Hollis, I need your help.”

Laura waits a couple seconds as Hall takes deep breaths.

 

“I’m a chemical engineer specializing in material science that’s been working with graphene for a decade. It’s a versatile and strong two-dimensional material,” she begins. “One night in the lab, I had stayed late to prepare some samples for the next day, when I heard a noise. I got scared and hid in a storeroom when I saw this woman–– or, at least, she looked like a woman–– materialize out of nowhere. She went to my bench and just took a pile of stuff. Then she teleported back out.”

She sighs and runs a hand through her hair.

“The graphene that she took–– I had just proven could withstand high-voltage impacts, as well as fiery ones. It’s meant to help be a fire retardant material that fire fighters can wear. And she took all my notes and data. I’m not even sure I remember what I did to those graphene samples.”

 

Perry frowns. “What would a demon want with material for a fire fighter?”

“Because it’s not just for fire fighters,” Laura realizes. “High-voltage? Fire? That could stop energy balls and fireballs from demons! If there was ever demonic warfare, whoever possessed this stuff would be at a huge advantage.”

“Holy crap,” Danny breathes out.

Hall clears her throat. “Demons ar-are real?”

Laura stares at her with wide eyes. “Uh-Uhm, yes.”

“Huh.” Hall seems over it immediately, with more important matters at hand. “Anyway, I ran out of the lab and went home. The next day, the lab had a visitor–– a potential funder who wanted to ask about my research. I recognized her as the… _demon_ immediately. She managed to get me alone and told me I had to find a way to make her more. She had all my data on how I had developed this graphene foam. We got interrupted and I just–– I just _ran_. I knew she wasn’t a ‘good guy.’”

 

LaF sighs. “I mean, my knowledge of graphene is limited to its medical uses in scaffolding or drug delivery. What about it makes it a good fire resistant material?”

“It’s not toxic like polymers, metallic oxides, and metal hydroxides generally used. It’s got high electrical conductivity, high surface area, and high resistance to chemicals. And as a foam, it’s lightweight, mechanically stable, can store energy.” Hall drops her head to the table with a thud. “But the graphene oxide samples were mixed with different inorganic compounds with varying levels of freezing and drying.”

 

Laura frowns. “I think I’m getting lost,” she says to Danny, who agrees.

“Okay, okay, so we’ve got this material that could potentially tip the scales if some demonic war breaks out,” LaF recaps. “There’s too many variables to figure out on our own without Hall’s notes. The demon has the notes. We have Hall. Assuming this demon doesn’t have a degree in material science, she can’t make more for her demon pals.”

“This doesn’t explain why Hall’s mom is in a coma,” Perry points out.

Laura jumps out of her chair in excitement. “Wait! LaF, repeat what you just said.”

“Graphene oxide can––”

 

“No, no,” Laura says, bouncing in place. She rushes to the Book of Shadows, excitedly flipping through it. “If this demon wants to make more of this material, she needs what’s in Hall’s head, right? And the only way to get something out of Hall’s head, and the only thing that would also put her mom in a coma…”

Danny gasps. “Hollis, you’re a genius.”

“What is it?” Perry asks, confused.

“Collector. We’re dealing with a Collector. She’s the one who visited here, pretending to be your ex-wife,” Laura declares, getting to the correct page.

LaF groans. “Ew.”

 

“What’s a Collector?” Hall asks.

“They’re warlocks who possess the power to drain knowledge, and depending on how much they take, it can render a victim catatonic,” Laura explains.

“This… warlock… she wants what’s in my head? But why did she go after my mom?”

 

“To find out where you’re living,” a female voice replies. A male partner, larger and younger, blinks into the room next to her.

“Two Collectors,” LaF gulps. “We’re dealing with _two_ Collectors.”

The first one sneers. “We went to your house. Found a message on your answering machine from someone asking for you to come to the place we had just left.”

“You guys are kinda slow, no?” Laura says, slowly edging towards the door. “Why’d you take so long to go after her after finding out?”

“We needed to speak to the person who hired us and find out how to proceed,” the man replies.

 

Laura swings the door open and Danny grabs Hall, yanking her out of the room into the hallway.

“ _No blinking!_ ” Laura commands the Collectors, who stare at each other in confusion when they obey.

LaF and Perry stand behind Laura as backup, with Danny glaring in from behind them.

“ _Tell me who sent you_ ,” Laura says, relieved to have people beside her.

 

They look at each other.

“We don’t know,” the woman says, gritting her teeth. “We just know we have orders on how to proceed with a promise of a place by their side when their plans come to fruition.”

“Nice try, Laura?” Danny offers lamely.

Laura sighs. “Fine. _Come with me_.”

 

“It doesn’t have to be this way,” the woman insists to Laura. “We could do something quid pro quo. Maybe there’s some painful memory you wish to erase?”

Laura pauses in her stride. Danny, LaF, and Perry exchange nervous glances as the Collectors smirk.

“Heartbreak? Dead family member? Someone who lied to you or wronged you? Whatever it is–– name it, and we can get collect it from you. You let us go on our way with Hall, and you’re none the wiser,” the woman continues.

Laura’s hands clench into fists.

“No. _Keep walking_.”

The trio lets out a collective breath and hold onto Hall as they continue through the facility.

 

Laura leads the group to Mrs. Simpson’s room and gently asks the nurse to leave so Hall can “have a moment alone with her mother.”

When they’re alone, Laura looks at the Collectors. “ _Return her memories_ ,” she orders.

They hesitate, but only for a moment.

 

The female walks over and her finger transforms into a needle. She injects it into the side of the old lady’s head and within seconds, Mrs. Simpson is awake. Hall lets out a relieved gasp and embraces her mother.

“This isn’t over,” the male Collector declares.

Laura narrows her eyes at him. “I may never know who hired you, but I can delay their plans for a bit.” She gestures at him and his partner. “ _Inject each other._ ”

They grudgingly walk to each other with transformed needles and stick each other. Their screams echo as they explode in a flash of light.

 

The nurse comes running back in, mouth wide at seeing the patient no longer comatose.

Laura laughs nervously. “It’s a miracle?”

 

* * *

 

“ _Dang_ , Hollis!” LaF squeals excitedly from the backseat of the car. “That was hardcore!”

Perry nods beside them, obviously satisfied. “I agree, Laura. Solving that case on your own and vanquishing those demons without any harm done to innocent parties was very impressive.”

“Thanks, guys,” Laura beams in the passenger seat.

“I’m so proud of you,” Danny says, giving Laura a playful punch in the arm.

Laura giggles. “Thank you.”

 

They walk into the coven house and Perry clears her throat. “To be frank, I was concerned that when they offered to wipe some memories away, you might… consider it…”

Laura sits down on the couch silently, aware that the trio is staring at her for a reaction. “I won’t lie, it _was_ tempting,” Laura admits. “But memories are what make us as individuals and as people. Just like free will.” She huffs, running a hand through her hair. “Losing either of them, it’d just make someone a shell of who they should actually be. You shouldn’t exist just to fit a mold of what someone else wants you to be.”

 

“Very wise, Laura,” Perry comments. She gestures to the kitchen. “I’ll get started on dinner, yes?”

LaF trails behind her. “I’ll help.”

Danny sits beside Laura.

“Thanks for making an effort to treat me better,” Laura says with a smile.

Danny chuckles. “Well, after today, it’d be hard not to. You’re amazing, Laura. Sorry I didn’t see it sooner. It shouldn’t have taken Carmilla to make me get it.”

Laura gives a small shrug.

 

“How are you doing? Like, really,” Danny asks gently.

Laura lets out a shaky breath. “I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss Carm. She couldn’t have been _all_ bad, y’know? There’s gotta be some good in there. And maybe I can eventually forgive her because… I mean, I think the friendship was real. And…”

Danny watches as Laura gesticulates, struggling to find words.

“Right now I feel so betrayed by the lies and everything that I don’t trust myself to think clearly.” Laura stares down into her hands on her lap. “And… I think I…” She huffs with a groan.

“It’s fine, Laur,” Danny says softly. “You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Take it slow.”

Laura nods. “Yeah, I guess.”

Danny gives her a reassuring pat on the arm before heading to the bathroom to shower.

 

Laura unlocks her phone and stares down at her contact list, her finger hovering over to call Carmilla.

She sighs and relocks the phone.

 _Take it slow_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >>


	14. In Sickness and In Health

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Laura contracts a bizarre illness, her friends rally together to try and save her before it's too late. Danny gives Carmilla a chance to prove she's worthy of a second chance with Laura.

“I still don’t know how my daughter and I could ever repay you,” Mrs. Simpson says warmly.

Laura shrugs. “Letting me win a game of gin rummy would be nice, for starters,” she teases.

Mrs. Simpson laughs heartily and shakes her head. “Sorry, that’s just one thing I won’t do. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“Darn. Worth a try,” Laura giggles.

Her phone screen lights up.

 

“Do you mind if I take a call, Mrs. Simpson?” Laura asks.

“Of course not, dear,” the sweet elderly lady replies from her wheelchair.

Laura answers a call on her phone, pushing an earbud into her ear. “Hey, Danny, what’s up?”

She pushes the floor button on the elevator and waits as they ascend.

“Yeah, I’m just taking Mrs. Simpson up to get checked out at the hospital next door to make sure nothing from the coma is lingering.”

“Bless you, sweetheart,” Mrs. Simpson chimes in, making Laura giggle again.

The elevator doors open and Laura pushes the wheelchair out, turning towards the doctor’s office. It seems much busier up here than usual.

 

“Would you mind just sitting out here to take her back?” the doctor asks when Laura enters the room. “This shouldn’t take long and I figured it’d save this lovely lady on waiting time.”

Laura nods. “Of course, doctor.” She exits the room and sits on a chair right by the doorway.

 

“That sounds great for dinner,” Laura says to Danny on the other end of the call.

A small girl runs by and trips over Laura’s foot, but Laura manages to catch her before she falls to the ground.

“Whoa, be careful there!” Laura notices that the girl is in a hospital gown.

The girl looks embarrassed. “Sorry!” She gasps and looks around. “My toy!”

Laura frowns and looks around her. She spots a small ninja toy on the other side of the chair and picks it up. “Is this it?”

The girl nods eagerly. “He fights away my sickness,” she says seriously.

Laura chuckles. “Oh, well does he know krav maga?”

The girl’s eyes widen and she shakes her head.

 

Laura twists the toy’s limbs into a basic krav maga pose. “Just have him stand like this and he can take on anything. Even your sickness,” Laura says.

The girl’s mouth has dropped open slightly and she takes the toy back, staring at it. “Thank you,” she says in sincere awe.

“It’s my pleasure,” Laura giggles, extending a hand.   “I’m Laura.”

“I’m Spencer,” the girl says, shaking Laura’s hand.   She holds up her toy’s sword-wielding hand. “And this is Oak.”

Laura grins and reaches out to give it a shake, but there’s a weird blur and Laura feels a small prick in her finger. She winces and pulls her hand back.

 

A woman walks up behind Spencer. “Darling, you weren’t supposed to leave your room,” she says, gesturing for them to leave. “I’m sorry, I hope she didn’t cause you any trouble.”

Laura shakes her head with a smile. “It was my pleasure. Get well soon, Spencer,” she says, waving as the woman offers a polite smile and walks away with the small girl.

 

“Softie,” Danny’s voice teases on the phone.

“Oh, geez! I forgot you were there,” Laura laughs.

“Wow, what am I, chopped liver?”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Clearly.”

A man clears his throat next to Laura and she glances up to see the doctor standing there with Mrs. Simpson. “All good. I’ve emailed the results to the nurses over there already,” he says.

Laura nods and smiles. “Thanks, doc.”

She stands up and her head spins for a couple seconds, but she ignores it and goes to take the wheelchair from him. Laura pushes the wheelchair down the hallway before her head spins again and she stumbles.

 

“Oh, dear. Are you alright?” Mrs. Simpson asks.

Laura can almost hear Danny frown on the other end. “Laura? Is everything okay?”

“Y-Yeah. I’m… I-I…”

Suddenly, everything feels far away, and blackness swarms her vision.

And then the world feels fuzzy as her legs give out.

  

* * *

 

 

Perry paces the hall as Danny has her hands running nervously through her hair.

LaF finally steps into view and both perk up as they walk towards them.

“The doctor said… Well, it’s nothing good,” they sigh, glancing over at an unconscious Laura hooked up to several machines. “Apparently ever since yesterday, there have been worsening cases. Patients getting infections or illnesses totally unrelated to what they were originally admitted for. And with each new patient, symptoms seem to be stacking. Laura’s got the worst of it, being the newest one.”

Perry sighs. “What does this mean?”

“It means if her body temperature is spiking faster than they can cool her down, and faster than antibiotics or any other meds can kick in, that... It doesn’t look good,” LaF says softly.

 

Perry frowns, eyes wide. “Can’t Kirsch or J.P. heal her?”

“It’s against the rules,” LaF replies lamely. “Since it’s just something medical and not magical, they’re technically not supposed to. Especially since… she’s not their official charge.”

There’s a loud crash as Danny picks up an empty cup and hurls it against the wall. Perry and LaF jump but otherwise don’t react.

 

“Screw the rules,” Danny growls. “KIRSCH!” she calls.

Orbs fill the room and Kirsch lets out a gasp at seeing Laura on a hospital bed. “Is little hottie–– erm, Laura–– okay?”

“Heal her,” Danny commands.

Laura’s eyes crack open and then widen in alarm.

“She’s awake!” LaF shouts, and Perry immediately runs out to get a nurse or doctor.

They return quickly, checking on Laura’s vitals.

 

“What in the name of Wolfram and Hart is going on?” Laura asks weakly.

The doctor flips through Laura’s chart. “We’re… not sure yet,” he frets. “Your fever is at 102º and climbing. Signs point to an infection that started from a cut on your hand, but it doesn’t explain a lot of other symptoms.”

Laura stares down at her hand and her mouth opens as if to say something, but she closes it.

Danny raises an eyebrow, remaining silent.

A nurse comes running in. “Doctor, you’re needed down the hall.”

The doctor nods. “I’ll be right back, Miss Hollis,” he says, before leaving.

 

“How are you feeling, Laura?” Perry asks gently.

“Horrible,” Laura replies.

Danny smirks. “But not horrible enough coz you’ve totally figured out what’s going on, haven’t you?”

Laura starts to reply, but she sees someone in the doorway and cuts herself off. “Hi, Spencer,” she greets brightly.

The small girl steps into the room, still clutching her toy. “Hi, Laura.”

Laura pats the bed for Spencer to sit, and she bounces up on the bed. “I’m sorry you’re not feeling well,” she says sadly.

“Ah, it’s not too bad,” Laura lies. “Are you sick, too?”

“I was, but now I’m better,” Spencer replies, a slight grin appearing.

 

A nurse walks in and smiles at the interaction while taking Laura’s temperature. She frowns. “103º.”

Laura gives a small nod as the nurse notes it down.

“Maybe you should go back to your mommy. Don’t want to get Oak sick, or you sick again,” Laura says to Spencer.

“Oh,” she says, visibly deflating. “Okay. Feel better, Laura.”

The nurse waits for the girl to leave before looking up from the chart. “Her mother passed away last night,” she says softly.

 

Laura furrows her eyebrows. “Oh, no! I just assumed the woman I saw her with earlier was her mother.”

The nurse shakes her head sadly. “Spencer and her mother were very sick last night. Her mother passed away right next to her. The doctors had just figured out which infection they had and, yeah, it would’ve taken a few days for a full recovery, but it would’ve been possible to treat.”

Laura’s heart breaks.

The nurse sighs. “This morning, Spencer was on the mend. It’s tragic, really. And now there’s all these other cases…”

Someone outside calls for the nurse, so she politely excuses herself and leaves.

 

Laura coughs and Danny gives her some water.

“What, you’re not gonna give me the cup you tossed across the room?” Laura teases.

Danny rolls her eyes. “So, about the cause…”

“Yeah, I think I solved it,” Laura says slowly. She shifts a bit and winces. “So Spencer’s mom passes away last night. Somehow her essence gets stuck in her toy ninja. Her toy ninja comes to life and any time it stabs another person, it makes Spencer a little more healthy and gives the sickness to the other person, perhaps even compounding it with each new victim.”

The theory sounds insane now that she’s said it out loud, but it’s all she’s got.

 

“Honey…”Perry frowns. “Maybe the fever is really taking its toll?”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Spencer’s toy stabbed me right before I passed out earlier.”

The trio exchanges glances and Laura huffs, crossing her arms.

“You guys don’t believe me, do you? I know it sounds crazy…”

Danny chuckles softly. “Yes, it sounds ludicrous. But it’s the only idea we’ve got, and you’ve proven time and again that your intuition is way better than ours.”

LaF and Perry, and the whitelighters nod in agreement and Laura beams at them. “Thanks, Dan––”

 

Before Laura can say anything further, her eyes roll back and she starts to seize.

“We need a doctor!” Perry yells as machines start beeping frantically.

A doctor rushes in seconds later.

“What’s happening?” Danny demands.

“I-I… We don’t…” The doctor takes a deep breath, clearly trying to remain calm as more doctors and nurses rush in. “Step back, please!”

Danny swallows hard and gestures for the others to go into the hallway.

“This is so weird,” LaF sighs. “None of her symptoms match up to any one thing.”

“So we go with Laura’s theory,” Perry says. “We find that girl and destroy the toy.”

 

The machines have gone back to a regular rhythm and a doctor comes out to address the group. “If previous patients are an indication, and we assume her case is worse than theirs…” He places his hands on his hips and shakes his head. “We don’t know how long she has, but it may not be long. The previously newest patient just passed away.”

They all take in the news and the doctor stuffs his hands in his pockets.

“I’ll be back to check on her in a bit,” he says, slowly walking away as the group makes their way back into the room.

 

Danny looks down at a paling, unconscious Laura.

“Okay. Okay. Here’s what we do.” Danny meets the eyes of everyone in the room. “J.P., go to the Elders and ask them for permission for you or Kirsch to heal Laura, even if it’s against the rules. Perry and LaF, you guys try to hunt down that kid and her toy and get rid of it any way you can, without getting stabbed by it.”

“And what are you going to do?”

Danny sighs. “I’m gonna go find Carmilla.”

  

* * *

 

 

Danny and Kirsch orb into Laura’s father’s living room. As expected, Carmilla is lounging on the couch, book in hand. A large pile of books rest against the couch.

“Was wondering when you’d show up,” Carmilla drawls.

Danny scowls. “I wasn’t planning to. Just had Kirsch and J.P. keep an eye on you and they said you’d been hanging around the house since Laura found out the truth about you.”

Carmilla shrugs and shoots her a glare. “Nowhere else to go right now.”

“We need your help,” Danny says. “ _Laura_ needs your help.”

Carmilla hesitates for a moment, swallowing hard. “Is that so,” she asks, her voice even.

Danny growls and reaches forward, grabbing Carmilla by the shoulders and lifting her off the couch. Carmilla meets her angry eyes with equally fiery ones.

 

“Laura is dying. Right now. Doctors don’t know how long she has, but it’s soon–– maybe hours, maybe minutes. She will _die_ ,” Danny hisses in Carmilla’s face.

Carmilla blinks hard at that before she scoffs, pushing Danny away from her. “And what am I supposed to do about that?”

“You’re the only one who can heal her,” Danny replies. “Kirsch and J.P. can’t if the Elders don’t give them permission to heal someone of a medical and magical condition, especially if it’s not their charge. You don’t play by the rules and haven’t for over a century.”

Carmilla backs away from Danny. “I also have no obligation to––”

 

“Oh, screw you! She was your _friend_ ,” Danny growls. “She trusted you from the start and never thought for a moment that someone would betray her. Ever since she found out the truth, she’s been devastated––”

“––It’s not my fault that the cupcake is overly naïve,” Carmilla interrupts.

“I can’t…” Danny pauses, mouth hanging open. “I can’t believe I thought Laura was right and there was a part of you that was decent. She still thinks that, y’know? She still talks about how there’s good in you, even after you…” Danny shakes her head and grabs Kirsch’s hand. “Let’s go, Kirsch. If Laura’s g–gonna die, I don’t want to be with this miserable liar when it happens. I’d rather be with her.”

 

They orb out, leaving Carmilla standing alone in the living room.

She doesn’t know why she bothered arguing or putting up a front with those two.

Her decision had already been made the moment the ginger giant had said, “Laura needs your help.”

 

* * *

 

Danny and Kirsch go back to Laura’s room to find J.P. seated at her bedside.

“The Elders said that even if it’s caused by magic, the actual symptoms aren’t and have to run their course,” he says dejectedly.

Danny lets out an exasperated sigh. “Sometimes I hate being _good_ ,” she spits out, pulling out her phone to call LaF on speaker. “How’s it going with the toy?”

“We got it,” they say breathlessly and it sounds like they’re running. “Told the kid that it’d save a lot of people if she gave it to us, but she won’t see her mommy anymore. Kid made her peace with; mother did not.”

“ _RUN_!” Perry hollers in the background.

LaF grunts and their pace quickens. “Destroying the toy? Easier said than done. Rushing to get ingredients now so the mom doesn’t just jump into some other object to keep her kid healthy. And she doesn’t seem to be understanding that once the magical effects are reversed, doctors can still treat her kid.”

 

Danny chews her lip. “Okay, well… I know this goes without saying, but please hurry. I don’t know how much more time Laura has.”

“Gotcha,” they say. “Cross your fingers.”

The call ends and Danny pockets her phone, holding and squeezing Laura’s hand.

 

A few minutes pass in a tense silence before Laura begins to seize, worse this time. A nurse rushes into the room, getting Danny, Kirsch, and J.P. back before yelling for more help.

Danny finds herself praying to whatever higher power is out there to save Laura, but she’s not sure if it’s falling on deaf ears.

 

* * *

 

It’s dark.

But a small light starts in the distance, slowly becoming brighter.

“Well, this is pretty cliché,” Laura sighs.

“Would it also be cliché if I told you not to go into the light?” a voice asks from behind her.

 

Laura turns to face Carmilla. “Carm?”

“I leave you alone for a couple weeks and you manage to get yourself killed,” Carmilla teases.

Laura rolls her eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“Well… I was squatting in your dad’s house when some angry redheaded string bean burst in, screaming at me to heal you because it’s against the rules for the other whitelighters to do it,” Carmilla shrugs. “And you know me–– rules meant to be broken and all that. And I gotta do everything in my power to keep you around.”

 

The Angel of Death appears. “I do believe I requested you to let this one live a _bit_ longer,” he says to Carmilla.

“Yeah, no, you’re not taking her,” she replies. “Not as long as I have anything to say about it.”

“Thank goodness,” he exhales, disappearing again.

Laura giggles and a small smile appears on Carmilla’s face.

 

“So I guess enough with the dramatic stalling for your friends back in the livelier realm,” Carmilla says. “Time to heal you. Get that tiny annoying heart a-pumpin’ again.”

Laura swallows hard. “I… I hope you know this still doesn’t change anything. You lying to me… It-It still hurts.”

Carmilla pauses before nodding. “I know,” she says softly, swallowing hard. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. If you let me, I’ll try my hardest to make it up to you. Starting with this.” Her hand hovers over Laura’s chest and a warm glow appears.

Laura gives her a grateful smile. “Carm, thank y––” 

 

* * *

 

 

Laura’s eyes snap open and dart around the room in confusion before she focuses on the doctors and nurses crowded over her, and her friends behind them.

“Oh, thank god,” Danny breathes out.

Her mind stays fuzzy until it vaguely registers doctors speaking to her and asking her basic questions, which she answers as best as she can. Eventually, they leave her alone with her friends, who take turns embracing her.

“We got the toy,” LaF explains when everything has settled down. “And the crazy mother ghost attached to it. But it left you sick.”

“By the time we got back here, you’d been coding for a while and they were about to declare you dead,” Perry says through a sob.

Kirsch nods and sniffles. “That was real scary, lil dude.”

 

Laura smiles weakly. “Sorry for the scare, guys.”

“There wouldn’t have even been a scare if Miss Broody could’ve pulled her head out of her ass for a hot second to heal you,” Danny sighs.

Laura’s eyes widen and she sits up. “Wait! Carmilla!”

“What about her?” Kirsch asks.

“Sh-She… She…” Laura’s mouth drops open as her mind struggles to remember. “I think she _did_ heal me?”

“Laura… Perhaps since you just went through a very traumatizing experience…” J.P. notes.

Laura shakes her head. “No! She was there, and she talked to me and healed me and stopped the Angel of Death from taking me.”

Danny stares at Laura for a few moments before nodding. “Okay, so. Maybe she’s not irredeemable after all.”

Laura grins at her, smug and satisfied.

 

* * *

 

After Laura is released from the hospital, she asks Kirsch to orb her to her father’s house when Danny is out picking up Laura’s prescriptions, under the impression Laura is adhering to her orders for bed rest.

They orb into the living room, Laura ready to finish thanking Carmilla.

The living room is empty, all the books placed back on the shelves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I smell a reconciliation on the horizon! ;) -- Another reason I posted two chapters in this update. Don't like keeping y'all stewing in Hollstein conflict ahahah.  
> Both chapters were inspired by _Charmed_ eps. Once again, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I promise I'm friendly :P  
>  This fic updates on a _Wednesday_ schedule. It's also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
>  As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	15. Hell Hath No Fury Like A Cupcake Scorned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While hunting down a demon, Laura bumps into Carmilla. Before she can thank her properly, they stumble upon a group of furies, who force Laura to face some unexpressed anger she's been suppressing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of [Natasha winning the Fan's Choice award](https://twitter.com/TheCdnAcademy/status/841108747879620608), I decided to give an extra update this week today ^-^  
> Congrats to Natasha and the creampuffs <3 love you guys!

Carmilla sighs, her fingers sweeping over the spines of books as she passes them in the bookstore aisle.

 _Shoulda taken some of the books from Laura’s father’s library with me when I left_.

As if on cue, the door to the store flies open and in comes her tiny charge, stumbling and tripping over her own feet.

Carmilla hadn’t realized how much she missed the girl until now. She had continued looking for anything about this ritual and how to stop it without alerting Mother.   She wanted to make things right with Laura.

It’d been a quiet few weeks and her Mother stayed off her back, assuming everything was fine. Assuming Carmilla was still planning to hand Laura over.

Boy, was she wrong.

 

Laura barely manages to avoid crashing into a bookcase as she barrels down the aisle right past Carmilla, who chuckles and shakes her head.

“Where’s the fire, cutie?” she chances joking. She walks up to Laura, who’s opening and closing random books. “Hope it’s not in here.”

Laura turns, confused before she recognizes Carmilla. Her face lights up for a moment, but it quickly fades. “Are you stalking me?” Laura asks, flipping through another book. Carmilla can’t quite read her tone, so she proceeds carefully.

 

“Wow, I’ve heard of speed-reading, but this is a whole other level,” Carmilla quips. “And no, for the record, I am not stalking you.”

Laura huffs and goes for another book.

“Cupcake, what are you doing?” Carmilla asks, amused when Laura’s tongue pokes out during her concentration.

Laura slams the book closed and goes for another one before thinking better of it. She looks at Carmilla, her eyes narrowing. “Have you seen any suspicious-looking books?”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow. “I mean, _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_ was staring at _The Giving Tree_ weird around lunchtime…”

Laura groans and grabs another book while muttering, “Useless whitelighter.”

“Yeah, but I’m _your_ useless whiteligher,” Carmilla teases without thinking and Laura halts in her movements, slowly looking up at Carmilla, whose eyes widen. “I-I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

 

Laura starts to reply when something catches her attention and she brushes past her. Carmilla follows her, trying not to mess this up.

“Laura, I really didn’t mean to–– I’m sorry––”

Laura walks to the end of the aisle and opens a book with a blank black cover on the floor. There’s a big gust of wind and she’s pushed away, dropping the book as a figure slowly emerges from its pages.

Within seconds, a demon growls. “Thank you for freeing me, foolish girl. I just barely finished feasting on the last one.”

Laura freezes, coping with the fact that she is too late to save the girl she was sent to rescue.

The demon takes advantage of the hesitation and rushes at Laura, shoving her into the bookshelf with enough force that it’s knocked over. People on the other side scream and customers start fleeing the store.

Carmilla helps Laura up and she mumbles her appreciation, trying to catch her breath.

 

The demon rushes at the storeowners and Laura darts out from the fallen bookcase, running up behind him.

“ _Stop_!”

It halts and looks at her, confused.

“ _Get back in the book_ ,” Laura commands.

He hesitates for a moment before grudgingly pivoting and heading back to the book and opening it. With a wave of his hand, he disappears from view with another gust of wind that closes the book.

Laura huffs and walks over to the book, picking it up. “You’re coming with me, buddy.”

She gives the shocked storeowners a small wave on the way out. Carmilla leaves with her.

 

“You went in there to find a book holding a demon and your only plan was to open every book til you found it?” Carmilla scoffs.

Laura rolls her eyes. “It worked, didn’t it?”

“You could’ve gotten hurt,” Carmilla growls. She examines Laura quickly and gently grabs her by the arm, just to stop her. “You _are_ hurt,” she notes, pointing at a cut on Laura’s forehead from her crashing through the bookcase.

“I’m _fine_ ,” Laura insists, backing out of Carmilla’s grasp. It came out slightly harsher than she intended, so she sighs. “But I did want to thank you. For healing me when I was in the hospital.”

Carmilla shrugs. “I’m still your whitelighter. Even if it’s unofficially.”

“You didn’t have to do it,” Laura says softly. “And it meant a lot to me that you did it anyway.”

Carmilla gives a small smile. “You’re welcome.”

“I… I need to go get this book back to Magic School for them to lock up and make sure it doesn’t get accidentally sold off again,” Laura says.

Before Carmilla can reply, there’s a loud crash in the alley behind them.

 

Laura immediately runs into it and Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Do you have a death wish?” she calls after her.

They turn a corner and find three women crowding around one man. Carmilla yanks Laura back so they peer around the wall to assess the situation.

“I-I’m sorry!” he cries from the ground. “I’ll go back in there and pay for it!”

“Are we busting up a female gang that goes after shoplifters?” Carmilla whispers to Laura, who shrugs and continues to watch carefully.

 

The three ladies hiss and growl at him before two restrain him by the arms. The last one grabs his mouth in her clawed hands and forces it open.

“Oh crabsticks, they’re furies,” Laura realizes, rushing towards them before Carmilla can grab her again. “ _Don’t move!_ ”

Carmilla starts to tell her that they’re witches and her power won’t work on them.

They stop in their movements.

“ _Get away from him_ ,” she orders.

 _She’s getting so powerful_ , Carmilla realizes.

Laura walks past them and yanks the guy to his feet. “ _Run away and don’t look back,_ ” she says, watching as he nods and does as told. “AND STOP STEALING STUFF!”

 

Laura turns to face the furies, but one grabs her and breathes smoke into her face as the other two circle her.

Laura sputters as Carmilla grabs the fury and yanks her away from Laura.

Carmilla immediately orbs them out of the alley and into Laura’s father’s house. She watches with concern as Laura continues coughing.

“Holy nicotine, Batman,” Laura rasps.

Carmilla frowns. “Buttercup, I’m not sure if you know this, but if a witch inhales smoke from a fury…”

“She becomes a fury over unexpressed anger,” Laura says, still sputtering. “Yeah, I know. But I don’t think I have any?”

 

Carmilla scoffs. “Oh, really. You can’t think of anyone you’re angry with right now?”

“I think I’ve very much expressed my anger with you,” Laura replies flatly, “in many ways.”

Carmilla sighs and sits down next to Laura on the couch. She holds her hand over Laura’s cut on her forehead and pauses, waiting to see if Laura resists again. When she doesn’t, a warm glow appears and the cut heals.

 

“You know, I don’t even think I was angry with you,” Laura admits softly. “I mean, I guess I was at first. But after a few days, it went away. It was mostly the pain.”

“I’m sorry.” Carmilla looks down at her hands in her lap. “I know I’ve said it already, but I still mean it. I am so, so sorry, Laura.”

She looks back up to meet Laura’s eyes.

“Lying to you was wrong. But I promise, I never pretended to care for you. I never pretended to be your friend. And if I’ve lost your trust and friendship forever then… I get it. I just really wanted you to know that.” She sighs and starts to orb out.

 

“Carm, wait.” Laura reaches out and grabs Carmilla’s hand. “I––”

 

Orbs light up the living room and Danny, LaF, and Perry appear with J.P. and Kirsch.

Before Carmilla can remark on their interruption, she hears a growl beside her.

“Ever hear of knocking?” Laura snaps.

The group exchanges confused glances. Danny clears her throat. “We were looking for you. You never reported to Magic School with that book. J.P. said he saw you and Carmilla orb in here while he was keeping an eye on the house for her.”

Laura rolls her eyes and tosses the book at her, not even taking care to make sure it doesn’t open and release the demon again.

“Jeez, Laur! Be careful,” LaF scolds. “What’s the matter with you?”

“Maybe I just wanted some peace and quiet,” Laura states coldly.

Perry frowns. “Sweetie, perhaps rushing you back into this right after the whole hospital stint wasn’t the best idea?”

 

Carmilla swallows hard. _The furies_ … “Perhaps we should give Laura some breathing room––”

“Oh, bite me, Carmilla,” Laura retorts.

Carmilla takes a step back and watches as Laura’s hands transform into claws and marks appear across her body.

“Oh, d-dear,” Perry stammers.

Laura roars and teleports out in a plume of smoke, leaving everyone to watch her exit in shock.

Kirsch is the first to speak in the stunned silence, eyes wide as he turns to Carmilla. “Dude, no offense but like… you’re a really _bad_ whitelighter.”

  

* * *

 

“So. We sent Laura out to get a demon trapped in a book. And she comes back transforming into a fury,” LaF summarizes.

“This is quite a stroke of bad luck,” J.P. frets. “Especially if we’re not sure what she’s angry about before she kills her first victim.”

“We know exactly what Laura’s angry at,” Danny says, glaring at Carmilla.

Carmilla rolls her eyes, tapping on the fury entry in the Book of Shadows. “It’s _unexpressed anger_ , dimwit. She’s been _pretty_ vocal about her anger towards me.”

 

“Maybe she’s angry at more than just you betraying her,” LaF suggests.

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a glare. “How do you know she’s not mad at any of you guys?” she snaps. “She did storm out of the house for a few weeks, y’know.”

“But we’ve fixed all of that,” Perry points out. “And she was pretty transparent about that, too.”

LaF crosses their arms. “That’s not what I meant. I mean, what if she’s mad at you for more than just betraying her?”

Carmilla frowns, taking that in. Her eyes widen. “Or what if…”

 

Her voice trails off and Danny throws her hands into the air in frustration.

“Look. We need to get Laura before she kills a criminal and turns into a full-fledged fury and we lose her forever. If we capture her we can just like, knock her out until we analyze and figure out what she’s really mad about. But first we need to lure her here.”

Carmilla shakes her head. “I think I know what it is she’s angry about.” She meets Danny’s eyes. “Write a spell to summon her as a witch.”

“That won’t work,” J.P. points out. “At least, not fully. It’ll call to her witch side, but the fury side is taking over.”

“Leave that to me,” Carmilla says, orbing out.

 

She orbs into the Dean’s dark cavern.

“Haven’t seen you for a while, Carmilla,” she greets from a chair by a table. “How are you?”

Carmilla sits down on a chair opposite from her. “I need a demon’s blood,” she says.

The Dean laughs. “Odd request.”

“Laura’s turning into a fury. If you want her saved for the sacrifice, I need to lure her back. Best way to do that is with a summoning spell for her witch side, boosted with demonic blood to call the fury side,” Carmilla explains.

 

The Dean nods, satisfied. She stands to rummage through a drawer and returns with a small vial. “Blood of an upper-level demon who owed me a favor. About to get a helluva headache, I imagine,” she smirks, holding it out for Carmilla.

“Thank you,” Carmilla says, relieved.

“Gotta keep the mark alive until the sacrifice. Right, dear?” She stands and gives Carmilla a peck on the cheek. “Go save her, my glittering girl.”

Carmilla swallows hard and orbs out. 

 

* * *

 

“Carm-sexy is back,” Kirsch says, getting everyone’s attention.

Carmilla basically karate chops him in the gut and he lets out a groan. “Don’t ever call me that again.”

“You kinda deserved that one, Kirsch,” Danny chuckles.

Perry holds up a slip of paper. “We’ve got a spell.”

Carmilla produces the vial. “Got a bottle of blood from an upper-level demon.”

The entire group stares at Carmilla, eyes wide.

“What? Furies go after criminals and wrongdoers. We add this to the spell to give it a boost.”

“That’s actually… really smart,” LaF says, taking it from her. “And I don’t think we have the time to ask _where_ you got it from.”

 

“So, what’s the plan?” Kirsch asks, still wheezing a bit from Carmilla’s blow.

“We summon Laura. I’ll get her away from here and hope she can be reasoned with. You guys deal with the other two furies,” Carmilla replies.

“And if you can’t find the source of Laura’s anger?” J.P. asks gently.

Carmilla sighs. “Just do the damn spell already.”

 

The three witches gather around their pot and sprinkle the demon blood in as Kirsch and J.P. go to get out of the way.

“ _Power of the coven rise_

_Path unseen across the skies_

_Come to us who call you near_

_Come to us and settle here_

_Linked and connected, I summon thee_

_Linked and connected, return to me._ ”

 

A few seconds pass before smoke appears and two furies and Laura stand in the living room.

“She doesn’t have the full talons yet,” LaF observes, getting Laura’s attention.

Carmilla swallows hard. “Laura…”

Laura whips her head to look at her, a fire in her eyes. She rushes forward, grabbing Carmilla by the shoulders and pinning her against the wall.

The other furies look confused at the absence of evildoers in the vicinity and decide to follow Laura’s lead.

 

LaF forms a fireball and chucks it at one, grazing her arm. She snarls and goes towards them. Perry tries freezing her, but it doesn’t work.

“Dammit! They’re witches,” Danny curses when her telekinesis doesn’t work on either fury. She grabs one and holds it still while LaF throws another fireball at them.

Danny lets go and looks over to Carmilla, who’s orbing away from Laura’s attempted swipes.

“You two, deal with the other fury,” Danny shouts over to her shoulder, heading over to help Carmilla out.

 

“Cupcake, I know you’re still in there and can hear me,” Carmilla tries.

Laura roars and runs at Carmilla, slamming her onto the floor.

“Oh, to Hell with this,” Carmilla growls, orbing them out, just as Danny has gone to grab Laura’s shoulder.

 

* * *

 

They orb into Laura’s father’s house and Danny manages to pull Laura off Carmilla.

Laura surges forward immediately and Danny uses her power to pick up the coffee table and pushes it into Laura until she’s being held against the wall.

“I hope you’ve figured out what’s making her pissed, coz I haven’t,” Danny yells to Carmilla.

Carmilla nods and takes a step forward, staring into Laura’s angry eyes. She almost flinches. Seeing anything other than Laura’s immense kindness and understanding in them feels unbearable.

 

“You know, cutie. I thought maybe you were angry with me in some other way. Like, maybe betraying you had unlocked some kind of darkness inside of you. But I don’t think there is a single drop of hatred in your body,” Carmilla says gently. “You really do want to help people. To love them. To trust them.”

Laura continues struggling against the table, but her efforts are visibly weakening.

“And that’s why you’re angry. It’s not just because I betrayed you, it’s because…” Carmilla sighs, her heart breaking at the realization. “You’re angry at yourself for trusting me so much to allow me to hurt you.”

Carmilla searches Laura’s eyes and notices she’s no longer fighting against the table.

“Laura, I am so, so sorry,” Carmilla says, voice cracking. “I know I keep saying it but I’m sorry I betrayed your trust and flipped your world upside down. You’re a trusting, good person, and I took that and twisted it.”

 

Laura’s claws revert back to fingernails but the fury’s body markings remain.

“ _Why did I trust you?_ ” Laura snarls. “How could I have been so _stupid_? Some whitelighter comes up to me and asks me not to tell my friends about them and I just _listened_! For weeks, I didn’t tell them and if I _had_ , any one of them would’ve realized I was putting myself and every innocent I tried to protect in danger.” She growls, fighting against the table again. “If I don’t even have instincts for who can I trust, then maybe I _shouldn’t be a witch vanquishing demons, after all_ ,“ she screams, her voice cracking.

 

Carmilla shakes her head. “You didn’t do anything wrong when you trusted me. You’re always diving in to do good for everyone you meet… And I sincerely hope that this whole thing doesn’t stop you from continuing to do that.”

She gives a small rueful laugh.

“I might not always like the choices you make, or they way things turned out, but I think it would be infinitely more tragic if you let that stop you from trying. If you let it turn you into me.”

Carmilla’s eyes well up and she turns away, averting her gaze as she wipes them away.

“Just please don’t be angry with yourself. You can be mad at me and you can hate me,” she says through tears.

She tries to make herself face Laura again, to stay strong for her, but the notion that she could lose Laura is overwhelming.

 

“I… I-I don’t,” Laura’s small voice finally says softly.

The coffee table crashes to the ground and Carmilla glances up to find the body markings are gone.

“I don’t hate you and I’m not mad at you,” Laura clarifies with a sniffle. “I mean, I sure felt like I did when I first found out. And that’s why I told you to stay away from me, because I didn’t like the idea of being mad at you or hating you.”

Carmilla waits as Laura waves her hands around for a bit, struggling to find words.

“You joined up with the Dean because the world took something from you and you wanted to take something back. Because you felt powerless and backed into a corner and didn’t know what to do, and you… You just got lost.”

 

Carmilla steps forward, and Laura embraces her in a hug.

Laura backs away, shaking her head. “Carm, what if you had been actually _evil_? I could’ve gotten innocents killed because I was too trusting.”

Carmilla scoffs. “Listen to me. Your willingness to trust and believe in people is what makes you a good witch. Witches who can’t trust? That means they can’t look for the good in the world around them. You’ve singlehandedly taken down demons and helped so many people with your intuition and drive in such a short amount of time.”

She wipes a tear away from Laura’s face.

“I was trying to make sense in this confusing, arbitrary universe and I think I _was_ lost before I met you, but you inspired me to see that strength and power isn’t something the world gives you–– it’s something you generate yourself. You’re amazing.”

 

Laura sniffles. “Do you really mean that?”

“Use your power on me if you don’t trust me,” Carmilla says without thinking.

Laura pauses and swallows hard. Carmilla seems to realize the weight of what she’s just said and takes a step back.

“I-I didn’t…”

“I trust you,” Laura says slowly. “And I think I’m on my way to forgiving you.”

Carmilla lets out a relieved chuckle. “I’ll make sure I’m worthy of it.”

 

Danny clears her throat from across the room and they both jump, forgetting she was there. “I-I’m just gonna borrow your car and go…”

She walks over to Laura and gives her a friendly punch in the arm.

“Glad you’re okay, Hollis.”

“Thanks, Danny,” Laura says.

“And for what it’s worth, after all this…” Danny leans in to whisper in Laura’s ear.   “I trust her, too.”

Laura beams at Danny, who waves and grabs the keys on her way out.

 

“What’d she whisper?” Carmilla asks.

Laura grins. “She said you’d better start clearing your hair out of the shower drain if you’re gonna keep staying here with me. If you want to.”

Carmilla lets out a chuckle. “I’d love to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update is Wednesday!  
> Once again, if you're a non- _Charmed_ fan and need elaboration or clarification, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Or, if you have questions or comments in general :P  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	16. Secrets and Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla tries to get Laura to focus on a plan to escape the sacrifice ritual. When Laura continues to avoid the topic, Carmilla calls in reinforcements, unprepared when Laura has her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.

“I’m thinking of baking some chocolate chip cookies tonight,” Laura says from the kitchen. “Sound good?”

Carmilla rolls her eyes from the couch. “You want to know what I think?”

Laura looks up and meets her eyes before nervously returning to her shopping list. “I can make other cookies, too, if you want.”

Carmilla huffs and stands. “Laura… it’s been three days since we moved back in here…”

Laura doesn’t glance up from her paper. Carmilla sighs and slams her hand on the paper.

“ _Laura_.”

“ _Carm_.” Laura takes a deep breath and holds it before meeting Carmilla’s eyes. “I can’t see the paper through your hand.”

 

Carmilla doesn’t move her hand so Laura narrows her eyes in a glare for a few seconds.

“Fine. Chocolate chip cookies, it is.”

Carmilla groans and sits down at the island beside Laura. “We have to talk about getting you out of this sacrifice mess.”

“Do you want white chocolate chip or regular?” Laura asks, tapping her pen on the paper.

Carmilla snarls and snatches it out of her hand. “If you want this pen back, you’re gonna have to use your power on me.”

Laura clenches her jaw and sighs. “I’ll just see which is cheaper,” she says.

For the past three days, Carmilla had been trying to broach the problem, and for the past three days, Laura had been avoiding it by changing the subject, laughing it off, or flat-out ignoring her. Without knowing how long they had before the ritual, it was just a matter of time before brushing it off wouldn’t be an option anymore.

Carmilla watches in disbelief as Laura grabs her jacket and leaves the house.

 

“You forgot your––” Carmilla looks down at the island. “…phone.”

Carmilla holds it in her hand before sighing and unlocking it. _Because, of course, she doesn’t have a passcode on it._ She goes to the favorite contacts list.

Smirking that she’s the first one on the list, she goes to the next name and dials it. It answers on the third ring.

“Hey, string bean,” Carmilla greets grudgingly. 

 

* * *

 

 

Laura stands in the aisle, now faced with a very real and very difficult decision before her.

“White chocolate chip or regular, huh?” Danny asks from behind her, amused.

Laura giggles and turns. “What are you doing here?”

“What, this supermarket ain’t big enough for the two of us?” Danny teases. “With you involved, it definitely is.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Ha. Ha.”

 

“Wanna come back to the house to bake?” Danny asks. “I feel like ever since Magic School we haven’t had a chance to like, really hang and chill.”

Laura nods eagerly. “Sure!”

They quickly check out and drive back to the coven house. Danny helps Laura carry the shopping bags into the kitchen.

“Is anyone else home?” Laura asks, unpacking them.

Danny shrugs. “LaF left with J.P. right before I did, but I dunno if Perry is still around.”

There’s an odd ripple in the air, and Laura frowns. “Did you feel that, too?”

“Yeah,” Danny replies. She pokes her head into the staircase and calls upstairs. “Perry? You still home?” Laura joins her at the bottom of the steps.

 

There’s a commotion upstairs before Perry pops her head into view. “O-Oh! Danny, Laura, y-you’re both… here…”

Danny and Laura look at each other and shrug. “Everything okay, Per?” Laura asks tentatively.

Perry nods and then brightly declares, “No!”

Laura and Danny share a perplexed look. “What were you doing up there?” Laura tries.

“I was preparing a truth spell,” Perry admits. She looks absolutely mortified and covers her mouth.

 

“Dude!” Danny swats Laura lightly. “I know you’re new to your powers but it’s kinda messed up to be using it on us like that.”

Laura’s mouth drops open in offense. “I didn’t! My powers only work if I give a command. I purposely worded it as a question.”

Danny’s eyes widen. “Perry, did you _already_ cast the spell?”

Perry nods sheepishly, making her way downstairs.

 

“Why?” Laura asks. Realizing her mistake, she shakes her head. “ _Only tell me if you want to_ ,” she commands. She’s not sure if her powers are strong enough to counteract a truth spell, but it’s worth a try.

Perry huffs with a sigh and plops on the couch. “LaFontaine has been spending a lot of time alone with J.P.”

Laura hesitates before frowning. “Are… Do you think they’re cheating on you? Because––”

“That’s why I cast the spell.” Perry stands, with a groan. “This was stupid. It wears off in 24 hours. I’m just gonna lock myself in my room.” She turns to face Danny and Laura. “And since you were both apparently in the house when I cast it, I would do the same if I were you.” 

 

* * *

 

 

“When I was five, I lost my favorite Barbie,” Danny says, working on the batter. “I had left it in your room and you said I didn’t… What really happened to it?”

“I took it on a grand adventure. To the kitchen. It was tragically melted in my mom’s potion pot when I took it for a swim,” Laura sighs.

Danny slams her hand on the table. “I knew it!”

Laura rolls her eyes, working on laying the cookies out on the sheet.

 

“Magic School, your last year— I got in trouble for spiking the prom punch, but I didn’t do it. Was it you?”

Danny snickers. “Uhm… Yes.”

“ _Danny_!” Laura’s mouth drops open and she flicks some batter at Danny. “I got grounded for two weeks the next semester for that!”

“Well, I mean, we wanted to spike it, and you’re so cute we thought they’d let you off easy. Which they kinda did…”

Laura lets out a playful aggravated growl at Danny. “We need to go back there and set the record straight.”

Danny laughs as her phone rings and she answers it. “Uh, hi,” she greets, nervously drumming her fingers on the table.

Laura raises an eyebrow.

 

“We are… still at the house, yep,” Danny says. “No, I haven’t spoken to her about it, yet. … _Because_ , something came up that we’re dealing with.” Her eyes widen. “No, no, Laura’s fine! I swear, Carmilla, she––”

 _Carmilla?_ Laura cocks her head to the side, confused.

Orbs light up the room and Carmilla quickly scans Laura in concern.

“I told you, she’s fine,” Danny sighs.

“Then what’s taking so long?” Carmilla demands.

Laura bunches up her face. “What are you two talking about?”

 

“Carmilla called me and asked me to sit you down and ask you why you won’t work on a way out of the sacrifice,” Danny says.

Carmilla stares at her bewildered. “Crack under pressure, much?”

“Perry cast a truth spell and we were in the house,” Laura sighs. She narrows her eyes at them. “So you two were just gonna, what? Gang up on me?”

“No,” Danny replies immediately. “I was gonna _casually_ ask you. But then Morticia here clearly got impatient.”

 

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Look, I just––” She pauses and smirks at Laura. “A truth spell? Is that what you said?”

Laura’s eyes widen. “Yes.”

Carmilla chuckles and leans in closer to Laura. “Cupcake, why are you avoiding––”

Laura covers her ears and runs out of the kitchen. “Lalalalala, I can’t hear you!”

“Yikes, I’m having flashbacks to her in elementary school,” Danny groans as they both trail after her.

 

Laura swings open the front door and yelps when someone is standing there.

“Doc?”

“Who is it?” Danny asks.

“It’s the doctor from my stay at the hospital,” Laura replies.

He clears his throat. “Yes, hello, Miss Hollis.”

“Ehh, what’s up, doc?” Carmilla says, standing behind Laura.

Laura rolls her eyes and elbows Carmilla in the side.

“May I come in to speak with you?” he asks.

Laura nods hesitantly and she and Carmilla step aside.

 

“I wanted to ask you some questions. The entire case is still very bizarre and I’m hoping you have the answers.”

“Why would she?” Danny asks.

He points at a chair and Laura nods for him to sit. “You were the patient with the most severe symptoms–– other than the one who tragically passed away, of course.” He pauses and sighs. “You had multiple organ failure, an excessively high body temperature, your immune system was compromised, among other things… But after you were almost pronounced dead, you managed to return to perfect health.”

Laura exchanges a nervous glance with Danny and Carmilla.

“And I want to know how.”

Before Laura can stop herself, her mouth is already moving. “Carmilla’s my guardian angel and healed me before the Angel of Death could take me.”

 

Danny and Carmilla stare at her, unblinking.

A few seconds pass before the doctor starts laughing heartily. “Right, well, course I didn’t think _you_ would have an actual explanation, Miss Hollis. I simply wanted a blood sample to see if I can’t puzzle things out with some tests.”

Laura laughs weakly. “Uhm…” She looks over to Carmilla, who gives her a subtle nod. “Sure?”

 

Within minutes, he’s taken a vial and Laura rubs at the Band-Aid on her arm.

“Don’t worry about it,” Carmilla says in a hushed voice to her and Danny. “Ask the puppy or the jittery whitelighter to ask the Elders for some memory powder. They’re not really supposed to use it, but I’m sure if he loses a few days’ worth of memories, it’ll be worth stopping him from finding out whitelighters exist.”

Danny nods.

They walk the doctor out and Danny immediately pulls out her phone to call Kirsch. She still looks unsure after she hangs up.

“What is it?” Laura asks.

“It’s just… He said memory dust is a bit unpredictable. What if he messes up?” Danny frets.

Laura sighs. “Go with him?”

“Yeah. See you guys later,” Danny sighs, getting ready to leave. “Going out with this truth spell is gonna be a _blast_ ,” she grumbles as she texts him to come get her before going to the doctor.

 

Laura goes to put the cookies in the oven.

“Don’t think I forgot,” Carmilla says, following her. “Why are you avoiding the topic of your impending sacrifice?”

Laura stares at her, eyes wide. “Jiminy Cricket,” she grumbles as she bunches up her face and huffs. “Because, if other witches were willing to give their lives for whatever the Dean needs them for, then maybe I would also gladly sacrifice myself for the cause, too. And I don’t think we can discuss that.”

 

Carmilla looks taken aback.

“Carm, you said these witches have been giving themselves over voluntarily. Are you saying you don’t even want to know _why_?”

“We’re talking about your life, here. Your young, not-yet-lived, important, _life_.” Carmilla shakes her head. “I’m not going to let you give it up just because some old crone says you should to save the world.”

 

Laura freezes. “‘Save the world?’”

Carmilla swallows hard.

“Carm…” Laura steps closer to her. “You know what is this ritual for.”

“I…”

She contemplates lying to her, or orbing away, but she promised to stop hiding things from her. Laura made a big effort to trust Carmilla with a second chance, and she wants to prove she was worthy of it. _But is that trust worth Laura’s life_?

“Yes,” Carmilla admits. “I do.” She sits down and pinches the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know much, but when I first joined up, I was told that she was trying to stop the Gates of Hell from opening and swallowing Earth. It sounded like a good cause, and I had just given up one by quitting being a whitelighter, so I figured taking on another would fill the void left behind by Ell dying.”

 

Laura blinks at her in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? This would’ve made forgiving you so much easier!”

“Because I knew if you found out, then you’d be another willing sacrifice.”

“So you’re saying you knew I’d want to go through with this ritual,” Laura says gently.

“I’m saying…” Carmilla sighs and her shoulders slump forward. “I’m saying, I don’t want you to die. I don’t want to _watch_ you die.”

Laura smiles weakly. “Well, you could just cover your eyes––”

“––This isn’t a joke!” Carmilla shouts, making Laura jump. “Just _stop_ _joking_ for a moment!”

Laura swallows hard. “Okay, fi––” She cuts herself off as her eyes light up.

 

“What?”

“Is the sacrifice done at a set moment?” Laura asks suddenly.

Carmilla shrugs. “I don’t know about the timing.”

Laura’s eyes light up again. “Then I should go straight to the source. Gotcha.”

“Laura. _No_.” Carmilla shakes her head. “You are not speaking to the Dean.”

“Carm, how can you expect me to even attempt to avoid this sacrifice if I know nothing about it?” Laura demands.

Carmilla groans. “We’ll just… lock you away in a tower somewhere. Surrounded by a moat. Protected by a dragon.”

“Do you really think any of that, even a dragon, would stop me?”

“Fine, then. A tiny stubborn lizard.”

Laura giggles.

 

Carmilla smiles slightly before she sighs.

“What’s the harm?” Laura asks sincerely.

“She thinks I still fully intend to sacrifice you,” Carmilla admits.

Laura picks at the edge of some spare baking sheet. “Why aren’t you?”

“Why aren’t I, what?”

Laura averts her eyes for a moment, biting her lip. “Why _aren’t_ you planning to sacrifice me? If you believed it was for a good cause?”

 

“B– Because–” Carmilla swallows hard and shrugs. “Because I care about you. More than I’ve cared about the other sacrifices. In more than a century, you're the only person I ever found worth saving. You and no one else.”

Laura slowly looks back up. A few seconds pass as she seems to be taking in what Carmilla’s saying. “D-Do… Do you have feelings for me?” she asks softly.

 

_No more lying to Laura._

Carmilla nods shyly. “Yes.”

Laura blushes and wrings her hands together nervously. “Carm?”

“Hmm?”

“Ask me if I have feelings for you.”

Carmilla chuckles. “Cupcake, do you have feelings for me?”

 

Before Laura can reply, orbs light up the room and Carmilla lets out a long, exasperated sigh.

LaFontaine and J.P. appear.

“Oh! Hello,” J.P. greets, a bag in his hand. He glances over to Laura, who gives him a subtle nod.

“Hey,” LaF says, flopping back on the couch. “So, we––”

 

J.P. goes to the front door and places something by it while footsteps approach the top of the staircase upstairs.

“Laura, can you take the meat out of the freezer to defrost for dinner, please?” Perry calls down.

“What are we having?” LaF yells up.

“O-Oh! I… didn’t know you were home, LaFontaine.” There’s a pause for a moment before Perry replies. “Take out the chicken legs, please.”

LaF nods, already salivating. “Cool. Actually, you may wanna come down here for this, Per.”

She hesitates before tentatively descending, looking as nervous as ever. J.P. gives her a small polite nod as he walks around her and places something from the bag on the floor.

 

More orbs light up the room, and Danny and Kirsch appear.

“Doctor dude doesn’t remember anything from before the espy damn tic,” Kirsch declares proudly.

Danny rolls her eyes, holding out the vial of Laura’s blood. “By which he means, ‘epidemic.’”

LaF raises an inquisitive eyebrow.

“The doctor that took care of me in the hospital was asking questions about my recovery and took my blood,” Laura clarifies, stepping aside while J.P. continues to go around the room.

“Ah.” LaF looks over to Perry, who looks ready to duck into her shirt and never emerge. “You okay?”

 

Perry nods. “No.”

LaF’s eyebrows furrow in confusion. “Did something happen?”

“I cast a truth spell,” Perry blurts out.

They stare at Perry, growing more confused. “What? Why?”

“I wanted to know if you were cheating on me with J.P. since you’ve been spending so much time with him,” Perry says. Her eyes widen before she covers her mouth in horror.

 

LaF and Laura glance at each other before both burst out laughing.

“ _What_?” LaF says between laughs.

“I had to keep a straight face earlier when she told me,” Laura wheezes out.

Everyone watches, bewildered, as the two are in hysterics to the point of tears. J.P. looks vaguely amused, brushing past them to put something else on the floor.

“I wanted to tell her the truth earlier, but I wasn’t sure if the timing was right,” Laura gasps out.

“Geez, L, warn a person first,” LaF cackles.

 

Perry huffs and crosses her arms. “I don’t get what’s so funny.”

“I’m not cheating on you with our whitelighter, Control Freak,” LaF says, laughter dying down.

“Then why have you two been sneaking around?” Perry demands.

LaF, J.P., and Laura share a look.

Laura sighs and steps forward.

“I haven’t been totally honest. I guess my powers made me immune from the truth spell,” Laura says. “I _have_ been searching for a way to avoid the sacrifice. And I asked LaF and J.P. to help me out.”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow. “Did you know about this?” she asks Danny.

“No,” Danny says, narrowing her eyes at Laura.

 

“Look, guys, we need to find out more about the ritual if we’re gonna try and stop it. I stand by what I told Carmilla–– if it’s the only way to stop the gates of Hell from opening on Earth, then I will gladly sacrifice myself.” Laura meets the eyes of everyone in the room, unwavering. “In the meantime, I would love to find some alternative. Which we can’t do without asking the person in charge of performing it.”

“Jeep and I have been asking around–– me in the Underworld and Jeep in more Elder-sanctioned places. No one knows anything about this, which means the Dean is literally the only source of information,” LaF explains.

Carmilla shakes her head. “Even if I support this plan–– _which I don’t_ –– there’s no way she’ll voluntarily sit down and talk to you about it, especially if it means you’re trying to put a stop to it.”

Laura swallows hard, searching Carmilla’s face for any sign of backing down.

“Laura, I won’t let you do this. Hell, if you go to her, she’d probably lock you up until the ritual before you have time to fire off your first question,” Carmilla says.

 

Danny nods. “Gonna have to agree with the non-unionized whitelighter here, Hollis.”

“This does seem excessively careless and dangerous,” Perry notes.

“I agree with D-Bear,” Kirsch asserts.

“So, to be clear–– the only people who agree to interrogating the Dean are me, Jeep, and Laura?” LaF sighs.

Perry, Kirsch, Carmilla, and Danny nod.

 

Laura bites her lip and slowly backs away from Carmilla, leaving her with the other three disagreeing with the plan. She turns to face J.P. “Do it,” she tells him.

He places the last object on the floor and bright lights appear in the living room, surrounding Danny, Perry, Kirsch, and Carmilla.

Carmilla’s mouth drops open. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Crystal cage,” LaF replies, averting their gaze from Perry’s glare.

Danny pokes Kirsch. “Orb us out of here.”

He tries, but winds up orbing in place. “Dudes, _so_ not cool,” he pouts.

“With crystals strong enough to bind witches and whitelighters,” Laura elaborates glumly. “That was also why LaF and J.P. have been sneaking around.”

 

“Right, well. Now that that’s done,” J.P. says grimly, “let’s go figure out what to do with these ingredients.”

He and LaFontaine make their way to the kitchen, letting Laura linger behind.

“Laura, don’t do this,” Danny begs. “Especially not without more backup.”

Laura shakes her head. “You guys wouldn’t be backup. I can’t count on you if I know you’ve got qualms with this. So you guys stay in here until we can figure out what to do. Even if that means going through with the sacrifice.”

 

“You’re stupid, and foolish,” Carmilla spits out. “A callow girl.”

“Oh.” Laura seems taken aback for a moment. “Well, for what it’s worth… The answer would’ve been yes.” She stuffs her hands in her pockets and frowns. “I do have feelings for you.”

She pivots and walks away to the kitchen, leaving Carmilla to stand up against the edge of the crystal cage.

 

Kirsch sits down on the couch with a sigh. “Do you think we can get them to bring me some chalupas?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my dumb self somehow deleted the explanation for the ritual out of the final draft for chapter 12 and I didn't realize it til I alluded to it in this chapter and had to rewrite half of it to fit in that the sacrifice is meant to keep the gates of Hell closed LOL. Sorry for any lingering confusion!
> 
> Once again, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I promise I'm friendly :P  
>  Next update should be next _Wednesday_. Story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
>  As always, thanks for reading and commenting. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	17. It's About Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura, LaFontaine, and J.P. work to try and get to the Dean. Carmilla and Laura move forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Following that "I'm sorry" with a "you're welcome" ;)

“Okay, we know what we’re gonna do with the Dean when we have her,” LaF says, munching on their dinner. “We just gotta figure out how to get there.”

“As in, how to even find her,” J.P. sighs.

Laura plays with her fries, biting her lip.

 

“CAN I GET SOME FRIES WITH MY CHALUPAS?” Kirsch’s voice calls from the other room.

Laura rolls her eyes and grabs some, trailed by LaFontaine.

“Stand in the middle of the circle,” Laura says to everyone inside of it.

Kirsch is there immediately, but the other three are more reluctant.

“Middle of the circle,” Laura repeats, “or Kirsch doesn’t get any fries.”

“Please, my _fries_ ,” Kirsch whimpers.

Danny lets out an exasperated sigh as she and the group gather in the center.

 

LaFontaine picks up a crystal as Laura slides the fries over and they quickly replace it.

“Are you _sure_ you don’t want to use your powers on Carmilla to ask her where the Dean is?” they ask Laura.

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow but remains silent.

“For the last time, LaF, I’m not doing that,” Laura says, already on her way back to the kitchen. “We’ve gotta find another way. End of discussion.”

Carmilla swallows hard and crosses her arms.

 

“Outside of Carmilla, do we know anyone else that knows the Dean?” LaF asks when they’ve settled in at the kitchen counter again. “Like maybe there’s some ring of ex-whitelighters running around out there?”

“As far as I know, Mircalla–– Carmilla–– is the only whitelighter who fell so far off the radar that the Elders weren’t even sure if she was still alive,” J.P. answers. “And not to be blunt, but it doesn’t seem as though Miss Karnstein even has any friends.”

Laura takes a bite out of her burger before her eyes light up. “She has _one_.” She drops her burger and runs out, swiping a cell phone off the dining room table.

“What are you doing with my phone?” Carmilla demands.

 

“Looking for that friend who visited me and was looking for you,” Laura replies.

Carmilla groans. “What’s the point of not using your powers on me if you’re just gonna rifle through my personal belongings?”

“B-Because... I’d still be able to do the latter if I was anyone else without these powers.” Laura pauses, staring at the phone, as if having second doubts.

 _Clearly that reason’s not good enough even for her_. Carmilla sighs. “Her name is Mattie. She’s a Seer.”

Laura puts the phone down and wanders over to the circle. “But you won’t tell me where to find the Dean?”

“No. And neither will Mattie,” Carmilla says.

“We’ll have to see about that,” Laura replies softly, going back to the kitchen. She pauses in the doorway. “Thank you.”

 

Within half an hour, LaF has a summoning spell written. Laura stands beside them and recites it in the kitchen.

“ _Magic forces black and white_

_Reaching out through space and light_

_Be she far, or be she near_

_Bring us the Seer_

_Matska here._ ”  
They wait for a few moments and when it’s obvious Mattie is ignoring the summoning, Laura closes her eyes and concentrates. “ _Mattie, get your ass here._ ”

 

A glowing outline appears in the kitchen, followed by a full form, and Mattie looks positively annoyed.

“Dear God, who has the audacity to––” She pauses and looks at Laura. “Oh. Hmm.”

Laura steels herself. “ _Don’t teleport out._ ”

“My, my. Someone has got moxie, using their powers of persuasion on me.” Mattie claps her hands gleefully. “Very well, you’ve got my attention. How may I help you?”

Laura glances nervously at LaF and J.P.

“Where does the Dean live?” Laura asks.

Before Mattie can reply, there’s a commotion in the living room.

 

“Mattie! Don’t tell her!” Carmilla’s voice yells out.

Mattie’s eyebrows furrow together as she quickly pivots and heads towards it. She rushes into the living room and gawks at the group trapped in the crystal cage.

Laura darts in after her. “ _Don’t let them out!_ ” she commands.

Mattie freezes in place and turns, anger in her eyes. “What the _hell_ is going on?”

Laura swallows hard. “I–”

Mattie walks away from Carmilla and reaches out for Laura, gripping her by the neck. She lifts Laura easily. “What. Is. Going. On?”

 

Laura gasps for air, pinned against the wall.

 

“Let her go!” Danny growls from the cage.

LaF runs out of the kitchen, fireball in hand.

“N-No,” Laura gasps out, eyes on LaF. “Don’t.”

“Mattie, wait! Please,” Carmilla begs. “She put me in here because she knew I’d stop her from going after the Dean. That’s it. I’m not in any danger. Let her go.”

Mattie narrows her eyes at Laura before letting her go, stepping back as Laura collapses on the floor in a coughing fit. She looks up to see Carmilla struggling against the crystal cage.

 

“Speak, twerp,” Mattie snarls.

Laura is still coughing, so LaF steps forward. “We want to see if there’s a way to spare Laura from being used in the Dean’s ritual. And we figure the best way to do that is by going to the source of our problems.”

Mattie stares at them before throwing her head back in a cackle. “You dimwits summoned me here to ask me for information on Mother’s whereabouts? _Please_.”

“We just want to talk to her,” Laura says, voice raspy.

“She will not _talk_ to you,” Mattie sneers.

Laura pushes herself up and stares the seer in the eye. “I’m sure as heck gonna try.”

Mattie takes a step forward. “You’re going to die trying.”

 

Laura’s eyes momentarily travel to Carmilla’s face. Carmilla has backed away from the cage borders, looking glummer than ever.

“Then you’ve got nothing to lose,” Laura states, voice unwavering. They maintain eye contact as Mattie mulls it over.

Carmilla walks towards them, again stopped by the confines of the cage. “Mattie, don’t do it,” she pleads. “Please.”

Mattie smirks. “Oh, but why would you deprive me of this kind of entertainment? We’ve never had a sacrifice be quite so…” She looks Laura up and down, her smirk growing wider. “ _Feisty_.”

Carmilla looks horrified as she shakes her head.

“Oh, sis,” Mattie sighs, turning to face her. “Weren’t you the one who came to me, telling me how _special_ she was? Isn’t this her chance to be that amazing little snowflake you’ve made her out to be?”

 

When Carmilla is unable to form a reply, Mattie turns to face Laura.

“Unfortunately for you, I actually _can’t_ tell you where she lives.”

Laura deflates a little, looking skeptical.

Mattie pulls out a necklace with an intricate design, handing it to her.

“She lives in a sort of pocket in the Underworld. She gives these necklaces out to all of her _children_. Use this in a reverse summoning spell. It’ll bring you right to her.”

Laura nods and takes it. “Thank you.”

 

Mattie pauses. “Before I go, I have one question.”

“Yeah?” Laura asks.

“Why didn’t you just use your powers on me to just make me tell you? Or, why haven’t you done it to Carmilla, for that matter?”

Laura laughs softly. “I want people to tell me information of their own accord if I can. I don’t like messing with willpower on that level.”

Mattie regards her carefully. “Maybe you are a snowflake, after all.” She bows with flair before teleporting back out.

 

“Okay,” Laura says to J.P. and LaF. “We have a way to get to the Dean. Now I just gotta… actually go.”

LaF sighs and pats her reassuringly on the arm. “Well, we still have to write out a spell to bring you to her.”

“Yeah.” Laura starts to walk towards the kitchen, pausing to look at Carmilla.

“You’re gonna get yourself killed,” Carmilla sighs. “You pretended to be under a truth spell to get answers to you’ve avoid using your powers on me and on Mattie because of some code you’re living by. But Mother doesn’t have that code. She’s just out for herself and her agenda.”

Laura swallows hard. “If there’s a chance that her agenda and my code can find a middle ground, then it’s a risk I wanna take. Especially if we can stop the sacrifice.”

“You’re not listening to me.”

Laura waits for a longer response, but Carmilla eyes are pointed at the ground and she remains silent, so Laura just pouts and leaves.

 

The spell only takes a few moments to write, and soon Laura is standing in a circle in the living room made with some basic dry teleporting potion ingredients, holding a small sack.

“You guys are sending her _alone_?” Danny asks, dismayed. “No wonder you guys trapped her _lifelong best friend_ in here, I’d never let you go through with this.”

“There’s already a small probability that the Dean will speak to Laura,” J.P. points out. “If we go with her, that will decrease an already slim chance.”

Perry frowns. “But what if she’s in danger?”

Laura holds up a vial. “I already have a teleportation potion for the return trip. If I’m in trouble, I’ll use it.”

Carmilla remains silent, her arms crossed as she sits on the couch.

 

“If you’ve got anything to say to her, say it now,” LaF says.

Kirsch stands up and salutes. “Pullin’ for ya, little bro.”

“Good luck, Laura,” Perry says as sweetly as possible.

Danny rolls her eyes. “Please don’t die, or I’ll get out of this cage and kill you,” she growls.

Laura glances at Carmilla, who still won’t speak, and if anything, looks away.

 

She swallows hard before turning her attention back to the others. “Thanks, guys. I’ll be right back.” She nods at LaF, who starts to recite the spell.

“ _An ancient force thus unseen_

_We send this witch to the Dean_

_The only one who would even dare_

_Go forth and send her there._ ”

Laura vanishes in a pillar of swirling lights, her eyes lingering on Carmilla as she fades away.

 

She appears in a dark cavern, faced with a smirking Dean.

“Did you all really think I didn’t know Carmilla’s been planning to spare your life?” she asks smugly. “I have the gift of future sight, dear. Of course I would use it to peek into my own future, especially when a sacrifice is imminent. I knew you’d be paying me a visit. Can’t have anyone derailing my plans, can I?”

Laura gulps. “So… would you be at all… amenable to some sort of compromise?”

The Dean cackles and shakes her head. Footsteps echo in the hallway leading to the cavern and half a dozen lower level demons march in, ready to restrain Laura. “That is not a word in my vocabulary, girl.”

 

* * *

  

“She should’ve been back by now,” Carmilla growls. “She should be here, annoying me and Danny.”

Danny nods in agreement.

Carmilla huffs. “God dammit. Of all the imbecilic, idiot, suicidal … she just had to go and get herself sacrificed.” Carmilla pauses and runs a hand through her hair. “Oh, God, she’s somewhere getting sacrificed.”

LaF sighs, absentmindedly picking at the edge of a page of their Book of Shadows.

“Relax, she’s got all sorts of potions,” they comment. “Explosives, stun, knock-outs, quick healing, freezing. And teleporting.”

“Besides, Laura does tend to err on the side of hyper-verbal,” Perry points out from beside Carmilla. “Maybe she’s talking the Dean’s ear off?”

 

There’s an audible poof in the middle of the living room and Laura appears in a cloud of smoke with the Dean in hand. The latter looks positively angry at being bested.

“Crystal cage,” Laura murmurs weakly before collapsing.

“Shit!” LaFontaine curses, diving forward quickly and grabbing a crystal.

The cage disappears and everyone scrambles out. Carmilla rushes to Laura’s side, while Danny grabs the Dean and uses her powers to throw her into the cage. LaF immediately replaces the crystal, and the Dean growls, surging forward and hitting the barrier.

“Her potion bag is empty,” Perry notes.

A warm glow appears below Carmilla’s hand, healing some small cuts and bruises on her face and arms, as well as the bruises Mattie left on her neck.

Carmilla waits, but Laura doesn’t stir afterwards. “Laura, wake up,” Carmilla says. “Laura?”

 

“Poor thing is probably drained,” the Dean says, clicking her tongue.

Carmilla looks over, tears in her eyes. “What did you do?” she snarls.

“Not a thing,” the Dean insists innocently. “ _She_ ’s the one who teleported into my home, demanding answers about a ritual that she should not be privy to.” She raises an eyebrow. “Care to comment on that, my girl?”

Carmilla remains silent, cradling Laura’s head in her lap.

“Didn’t think so.” The Dean waves her hand dismissively. “Anyway, she took out half a dozen of my best worst thugs. She tried asking me ever so nicely about the ritual. When I wouldn’t comply, she started using her powers on me. I resisted, of course. But after a while, she… Well, shockingly enough, she managed to break me down. Next thing I know, she’d gotten through my defenses and I was divulging all sorts of details, and following her orders not to move.” She shrugs. “I guess the strain of using her abilities on someone as strong as I am was too much for her. I’m both impressed and disappointed.”

Carmilla narrows her eyes at her. “Go to Hell.”

“Ah, thanks to your sentimentality for this girl, soon we’ll all be doing just that.”

 

* * *

 

 

Laura opens her eyes just a crack and grimaces on her bed.

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Carmilla remarks from a chair beside her.

Laura forces her eyes open all the way before squinting to focus. “Carm?” She sits bolt upright. “The Dean!”

“––Is secured in the crystal cage in the living room,” Carmilla answers, “and has been for the past day.”

Laura groans, lying back down. “I’ve been out for that long?”

Carmilla swallows hard, looking away. “You could’ve died, you foolish girl.”

 

“We needed answers,” Laura sighs. “Which I got.”

“At what cost?” Carmilla snaps. “Charging after my mother half-cocked, with no contingency plan? What the hell were you thinking?”

Laura sits up again, slower this time. “Carm, if we don’t let this ritual happen, then Hell opens up on Earth. The Dean said we could technically delay it for up to half a year from when she wanted to sacrifice me. I guess she’s nothing if not punctual.”

 

Laura stares at Carmilla, waiting for a reply that doesn’t come.

“I just bought us months to try to figure something out. Time we wouldn’t have had if I didn’t do this. If I let you and Danny stop me.”

“That doesn’t––” Carmilla lets out a frustrated groan. “Laura, if something happened to you tonight…” Her voice cracks.

“Hey, hey.” Laura reaches forward, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “I’m fine.”

 

Carmilla gives her a watery smile.

“And I’m sorry for throwing you into a crystal cage,” Laura apologizes. “I just didn’t want you to try and stop me, and I didn’t want to use my powers on you.”

“Because you have feelings for me,” Carmilla says with a chuckle.

Laura nods. “And you have feelings for me.”

Carmilla laughs dryly and squeezes Laura’s hand back. “Too bad whitelighters and witches can’t date.”

Laura’s eyebrows furrow together. “Geez, Carm, you really _have_ been out of the whitelighter game for a while.” She giggles. “The Elders got rid of that stupid archaic rule years ago after one of the Charmed Ones married their whitelighter.”

Carmilla’s mouth drops open. “They _did_?”

 

Laura laughs harder now, nodding. “But I mean, does it _matter_? You’re not one for the rules, anyway,” she teases mockingly.

Carmilla shakes her head, taking a deep breath. “Usually, yeah. But if it comes to us dating, I want it to be as proper and open as it can be. You deserve that at the very least.”

Laura smirks. “‘Us dating?’”

 

“Uhm… Yeah? What do you think about… that…?” Carmilla mumbles sheepishly.

“Us dating?” Laura repeats.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. She takes a deep breath. “Laura Hollis, would you be willing to _date_ your unofficial whitelighter?”

Laura grins and giggles. “I think… Yes. It’s about time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOM. Congrats, y'all. You finally made it to Hollstein getting together. I really wanted them to work through most of the big issues (Laura discovering her powers, the fallout of Carmilla's lies, and dealing with the Dean) before putting them together, so they can date without unnecessary drama.  
> That being said, for anyone who's never read my stuff before, I'm gonna give a heads up-- sadly, I do not feel comfortable writing smut. You'll get your standard kisses and making out, but nothing further. (My usual offer remains open-- if you want to write the smut I would be willing to put it in, so feel free to lemme know LOL. I just personally don't feel easy writing it.)
> 
> Next update should be next Wednesday!  
> Once again, if you're a non- _Charmed_ fan and need elaboration or clarification, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Or, if you have questions or comments in general :P  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	18. Animal House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura receives a tip regarding a death with suspicious circumstances. Carmilla rallies the gang when Laura needs a hand with the case, unprepared when their adversary is one move ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y’all! I'm posting this update a day early because I planned out the rest of the update schedule for this fic and afterwards, I got too excited and decided to just start it a day early :P  
> Chapters will go up depending on how Hollstein-fluff-heavy a chapter is LOL. Basically if it's a plot-centric update, the next one will be a few days after.  
> This one is a sort of reverse on a _Charmed_ episode to fit my needs better lmao  
>  Thanks so much to everyone who's been reading and commenting! You guys are wonderful ^-^

“…So, that’s basically it,” Laura says into her laptop camera. “We’ve moved the Dean and her cage into the attic in the coven house. Kirsch and J.P. brought Carmilla back to the Elders to get her instated as my official whitelighter.” Laura giggles. “She was grumbling about how now she has rules to follow. I did promise her I would help her break as many as possible.”

Orbs light up the room and Laura spins to find Carmilla, who dramatically flops on the couch in Laura’s dad’s house.

“That’s it for this update. Feel free to chat with me in the comments, Magic School peeps!” Laura says to the camera, stopping the recording and posting it. She gets up and sits next to Carmilla.

“I forgot how long those old windbags can go on for,” Carmilla groans. “All these new rules they’ve changed since 1872…”

 

Laura giggles. “Am I still gonna be your only charge?”

“Mmhmm,” Carmilla nods, turning her head to look at her. “At least until we get this whole sacrifice thing sorted out. They want us to focus on that.”

“Ooh, so we have _months_ to ourselves,” Laura says with a grin. Carmilla chuckles and Laura bites her lip. “Coz, y’know, I was thinking, if we’re gonna be together, we should probably go an actual _date_ ––”

Laura’s phone rings and she sighs, checking the caller ID. She frowns and answers it.

 

“Hey! … Oh, glad you liked the new video… Oh? No, I haven’t heard anything about that. Can you send me some links? … Great! Thanks.” Laura hangs up and rushes to her computer.

Carmilla pouts and follows her, sitting beside her. “So, what were you saying about a date?”

Laura doesn’t seem to hear her and she opens her email and starts clicking on the attachments. “Huh.” She scrolls, her eyebrows progressively furrowing more and more. One picture seems to have captured her interest the most. “Have you heard about this?”

Carmilla narrows her eyes at Laura. “Depends. Did you hear what I said?”

Laura turns away from the screen and focuses on Carmilla. “Yeah, sorry. Date. Uhm, w-we… We can…” Laura’s mouth open and closes a few times as she struggles for an idea.

“I appreciate the effort, cutie,” Carmilla chuckles. “We can put a pin in it. What were you asking me about?”

 

Laura points at the computer screen. “There have been reports of humans exhibiting animalistic behavior. People mauling others to death, like they’re wolves, or bears. My classmate was wondering if I was interested in investigating.”

Carmilla frowns. “What makes you think it’s magical?”

 

“The first victim was a scientist named Shelly, working on rabid animals.” Laura zooms in on a picture in the earliest article. “Do you see this?”

There’s a piece of paper amidst a trashed laboratory with cages thrown open. It reads,

“ _Something altered in our midst,_

_In animal forms these particles dwell,_

_Make them humans, sayeth the spell._ ”

 

“Whoa,” Carmilla breathes out. “You think the first victim cast a spell on the animals on the lab and it backfired?”

Laura shrugs. “All I know is, if we’re gonna turn those people back into animals, we need to do some investigating.” She fidgets nervously, averting her eyes. “I know we wanna have a first date, but…”

“Hey.” Carmilla chuckles and nudges Laura gently. “When I said I wanted to be in a relationship with you, I meant with _all_ of you. The witch side, too. I have feelings for you because of who you are, not in spite of it.”

Laura slowly looks back up. “Really?”

Carmilla nods and Laura lets out a squeal.

“Let’s go wrangle some animals!”

 

* * *

 

“Sorry, ma’am, but you’re not allowed in this lab.”

Laura and Carmilla share a look before Laura walks towards the security guard. “ _You will allow us to stay here. Go outside._ ”

He freezes before nodding and mechanically leaving the lab.

“Here I thought orbing us straight in would avoid problems,” Carmilla sighs.

“It _is_ an ongoing crime scene,” Laura replies.

 

She starts to walk towards Shelly’s work area, but she pauses. Suddenly, her knees give out.

Carmilla’s eyes widen and she manages to catch her, propping her up until she can get Laura to a lab chair. “Whoa! Are you okay?”

Laura groans. “I think dealing with your mother really wiped me out.”

Carmilla frowns, kneeling in front of Laura. “No more using your powers. At least, not for a while.”

Laura huffs, crossing her arms. “Fine.”

 

“Excuse me,” a voice says from the doorway. “What are you two doing in my lab?”

They turn to see a male scientist in a lab coat.

“ _Your_ lab?” Laura asks. “I thought…”

“I share the lab,” he says. “Or at least, I did before…” He clears his throat. “You didn’t answer my question.” He scoffs and shakes his head. “I’m getting security.”

 

Laura jumps out of her chair and grabs him by the arm. “ _You won’t report us._ ”

He unnaturally relaxes visibly. “I won’t report you. But who are you?”

Laura ignores him. “ _Tell us about the-––_ ” Her legs give out again and this time Carmilla’s not fast enough to catch her.

Laura groans weakly on the floor as Carmilla rushes to her side. “What did I tell you abut using your powers?” she growls.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Sorry, would you rather that guy get us arrested for trespassing?”

 

“We’re leaving,” Carmilla says, gently dragging Laura to her feet.

“Wait,” Laura says, swiping a couple notebooks and flash drives off the lab bench. Carmilla waits patiently until Laura seems satisfied so she can orb them home.

“As much as I love it being just the two of us… I think we should get the others in on this,” Carmilla admits gently.

 

Laura sighs as she sits on the couch. “I guess. As long as we do something about the attacks.”

“I’ll go get the others to help out,” Carmilla says, heading off to the kitchen.

“Fine. LaF studied science as a hobby in Magic School. They should be able to make better sense of the lab stuff,” Laura says. “And Danny and Kirsch are great trackers so they can probably find the animals.”

Carmilla returns with a mug of hot cocoa. “Relax, cupcake. Just get some rest.”

Laura takes the mug and smiles. “Thanks, Carm.”

Carmilla orbs away and Laura snuggles up with a blanket over her, slowly nodding off.

 

She wakes up in a bit to the sounds of someone in the kitchen. Laura cracks her eyes open and focuses on the figure. “Perry?”

“Ah, hello, Laura. Feeling better?”

Laura yawns and sits up. “A little bit. Still kinda weak.”

“Right. Well. Probably better to not use your powers for a bit.” Perry walks over with a bowl of soup and places it on the coffee table.

“What’d I miss?” Laura asks, eagerly blowing on the soup to cool it down.

 

“Carmilla came and gave us a summary of what’s been going with the case and, as per your suggestions, she and LaFontaine went back to the lab to see if anything was missed after skimming through what you took. Danny and Kirsch are out trying to get all of the missing animal-people back. J.P. is searching for a place to place all of them until we can figure how to undo all this.”

Laura nods, gulping down the soup.

Perry’s phone rings and she answers it, placing it on speaker. “LaFontaine, you’re on speaker.”

 

“Oh, hey, Laur! How ya feeling?”

There’s sounds of a scuffle and Carmilla’s voice comes through. “Are you okay?”

Laura giggles. “I’m fine.”

“Did you eat?”

Before Laura can answer, there’s more sounds of the phone being tugged back and forth.

“Of course Per fed her as soon as she woke up! You can talk to your _girlfriend_ later, put it on spea––”

“––Get your hands off of me––”

“It’s _my_ phone! Just––”

The call cuts out and Perry stares at it exasperatedly.

 

LaFontaine calls back and there’s a clear tense, annoyed silence on the other end.

“You guys okay?” Laura asks, amused.

“ _Anyway,_ as I was saying,” LaF snaps, “I swept the lab while Carmilla stayed outside. Didn’t find anything else there, but the other dude working in the lab said he didn’t know anything else. That the dead scientist did her own research, and they just share the computer and some of the characterization machines, but that’s it.”

Laura frowns. “What is this scientist working on?”

“He wouldn’t tell me,” LaF says. “All I got from him was that _he_ is working on some kind of weaponized drug in vapor form. He might’ve told me more, but we were touring the floor and he saw Carmilla and got suspicious, so we left.”

“ _So_ not on me,” Carmilla retorts in the background, which LaFontaine scoffs at.

“Jeep just called me and said he found a place for the captured animals to go. Danny and Kirsch found a couple so far. I found out they all had tracking devices as animals, so the others shouldn’t take as long for them to find,” they add. “I’ll work on a spell to fix them and we should be fine.”

“Great,” Laura says brightly.

The call ends and Laura finishes her soup while Perry absentmindedly cleans the house, commenting on things that have changed in it since their childhood.

 

Eventually, Carmilla orbs in. “How are you feeling?” she asks gently.

“Still kinda weak, but I don’t see that changing with napping,” Laura replies.

Carmilla sits down, face filled with concern. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I don’t think I’m weak physically. It’s like I have no energy?”

Carmilla pouts. “Anything I can do?”

Laura smiles, her face lighting up. “Can we go out for a walk? I’m feeling cooped up.”

Carmilla nods and stands, extending a hand to pull her up.

 

“Perry, we’re gonna go out and get some air. You okay to hang around here?” Laura calls towards the kitchen.

Perry lets out an excited gasp. “ _Here_ ’s the mop!” She pokes her head out with a wide grin. “I’m _more_ than okay!”

“ _You’re so weird_ ,” Carmilla states.

Laura elbows her.

“You’re the most normal person I’ve ever met,” she corrects flatly.

Laura rolls her eyes and drags Carmilla away.

 

Carmilla grins when they’re outside. “Do you think if I went around purposely spilling things, she’d thank me?”

“Don’t you dare,” Laura warns. “I did that once but she got so angry I think one of her curls actually straightened itself out.”

Carmilla chuckles.

“So where did J.P. find a place to put the animals, anyway?” Laura asks.

“This abandoned plot where they used to have an annual carnival,” Carmilla replies.

Laura’s eyes light up. “Oh! I know where that is.” She smiles. “They made the carnival more extravagant so they moved it. The plot is near here.”

Carmilla hums in reply.

 

“So, how did Miss Dark and Broody get caught?” Laura teases.

Carmilla scoffs, offended. “Look, your science ginger was too busy yammering about nanoparticles to realize they’d turned down the hallway where I was hiding out, and he caught me.”

Laura nudges her, a smug grin spreading. “What’s the matter? Afraid your reputation of being cool and stealthy is at stake?”

“I think your dorky clumsiness might be washing off on me,” Carmilla says with a smirk. “Which I don’t mind…”

 

Laura’s phone rings and she answers it. “Hey, LaF. I’ll put you on speaker so Carm can hear you, too.”

“Okay, so I’m going through some of the notes you swiped. Apparently she was trying to find a more efficient way to fix rabid animals. But some of the stuff doesn’t make sense.”

“How so?” Laura asks.

“She knew her research wasn’t working. She _wasn’t_ fixing rabid animals. In fact, they were getting worse. But according to the data, it _should’ve_ been working.”

Carmilla and Laura share a confused look. “So what does this mean?”

“Her more recent finding suggested there was an additional variable. Something was being introduced to their systems outside of her experiments. So she was running tests to find out what it could be…”

Laura frowns. “Didn’t you say her lab partner was working on something with vapor? Could that have interacted with the animals?”

 

A twig snaps nearby and Laura and Carmilla jump. They share a look.

“Hello?” Laura calls hesitantly, walking towards the sound with Carmilla at her side.

A man chuckles. “Smarter than you look,” he says, stepping into the light. It’s the other scientist working in the lab.

Laura’s mouth drops open.

“Shelly was doing a great job with her research. She probably actually did cure the animals of rabies. But where’s the fun in that?”

 

Laura narrows her eyes. “What did you do?”

“No need to use your powers on me again,” he laughs. Laura’s eyes widen. “Ah, yes, well. One night I was working late and accidentally released some of the vapor I’d been developing in the lab. This rodent absolutely _lost_ it. Then I wondered what would happen if it happened on a grander scale. And if I was able to give these animals an actual consciousness? Make them humans. So I wrote a little spell…”

“You’re a witch?” Carmilla asks.

Laura shakes her head. “You’re a warlock.”

“Unfortunately, I’m one without any active powers. But that doesn’t stop me from spellcasting,” he sneers. “That fool Shelly just happened to be in the lab during the trial run and was tragically murdered. There’s a war brewing in the Underworld. And I’m gonna profit from it. ”

“Not if I have something to say about it,” Laura growls.

He shakes his head. “Oh, but you won’t.” He gestures at Carmilla. “I was prepared after your first visit. So during our second encounter in the hallway earlier, I may have released a slightly similar vapor without your whitelighter realizing.”

 

Before Carmilla can react, he starts reciting a spell.

“ _Something altered in our midst,_

_In human forms these particles dwell,_

_Make them animals, sayeth the spell._ ”

Carmilla’s eyes widen.

 

Laura slowly turns to look at her. “Carm?”

A deep growl rumbles from her throat. “ _Run._ ”

Laura’s eyes widen and she stumbles as she turns and hears a roar from behind her. There’s a loud snarl and screaming, so she doesn’t bother turning around. She starts running towards where the old carnival used to be, but she’s still too weak to go at full speed. Soon, she gets tackled from behind and lands with a grunt. She rolls over and finds herself faced with a large panther a couple feet away.

“Carm?” Laura tries, laughing nervously. “Bagheera?”

The huge cat hisses and springs towards her. Laura manages to roll sideways and push herself to her feet, darting off again. She takes a few sharp shortcuts, enough to put some breathing room between her and Carmilla.

They’re about a block away when the gap closes and the black feline jumps out of the bushes, clawing at Laura. She manages to swipe Laura in the torso, leaving a few deep cuts. Laura winces as another paw comes at her, this time slashing at her face.

“Carm! Please,” Laura sobs as it stalks closer.

  

* * *

 

 

“Here’s the last of them,” Danny says to J.P., pushing two men into an abandoned cage before Kirsch slams the door closed. “All of them have been accounted for.”

J.P nods. “Great! I’ll cal––”

A loud crash is heard by some ratty tents nearby and the three of them whip their heads over to see a black panther on top of Laura, who’s struggling to fend them off.

“What the hell?” Danny gasps, waving her arm at it. The giant feline soars through the air and crashes into an old rusted cart.

“It’s Carm,” Laura coughs out weakly.

Danny shoves Kirsch back towards the cage. “Open it!” He does so and she waves her hand, sending the growling panther flying into it. Kirsch quickly relocks it.

“The scientist who really cast the spell found us in front of the pizzeria by my house.  She turned and attacked him.  I think he might be dead,” Laura gasps out.

“On it,” J.P. says, orbing out.

 

Danny kneels next to Laura and pulls out her phone with the spell LaFontaine texted her for them to cast.

“ _Undo the magic acted here,_

 _Reverse the spell so all is clear._ ”

A blinding light flashes in the cage and as it fades, Carmilla reappears in her human form––panicked when she realizes she's locked in a cage with a bunch of rabid animals.

“Get her out of there!” Laura croaks, clutching her side.

Kirsch rushes to get Carmilla out, and she immediately runs to Laura’s side as she starts passing out from blood loss.

 

“I’m so, so sorry,” Carmilla whispers, healing Laura’s wounds as her hands glow with a warm light. “I tried to stop myself, but I––”

“It’s fine,” Laura groans. “Not your fault.”

Carmilla scoffs,letting out a sigh of relief and leaning back when the wounds are healed. “Well, that crazy scientist warlock does probably deserve most of the blame.”

“He mentioned a war brewing in the Underworld. I wonder if it’s the same thing the Collectors were involved in at the nursing home,” Laura comments.

 

“I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t kill him,” Carmilla grumbles. “At least, I think I didn’t.”

J.P. orbs in and frowns. “I found a blood pool but no body and no trail. He must’ve blinked to safety,” he concludes glumly.

“We’ll use the scrying crystal and try to resume the search in the morning,” Danny sighs. “He’s gotta be out there somewhere.”

 

Laura smiles. “See? No harm done.”

“Cupcake, I almost shredded you,” Carmilla says flatly.

“But you didn’t. And… Well, it’s not _all_ bad,” Laura shrugs. “I got an idea for our first date, after all.”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow, a small smirk forming. “Oh?”

Laura nods. “Carmilla Karnstein, will you go to the annual carnival with me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update should be this _Friday_.  
>  As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from you guys!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	19. Javna Be Kidding Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Laura and Carmilla go on their first date, they wind up caught up in the case the rest of the coven is working on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on a _Charmed_ ep.  
>  Hope you enjoy and have a wonderful weekend! <3

“What do you think about this?” Laura asks in a frilly white dress, spinning in front of Perry.

LaFontaine pokes their head into the room and groans. “ _Seriously_ , Hollis? You’re still at it?” They walk in and sit next to Perry with a sigh. “Carmilla’s seen you a million times looking like crap. I’m sure she doesn’t care what you’re wearing.”

Laura huffs. “Gee. Thanks.”

Danny walks by and stops in the doorway, stepping in. “Oh, this is where everyone went.”

“What do you think?” Laura asks her, playing with her fluffy white sleeves.

 

“Uhm, you look like you're about to flee your brooding lover across the moors,” Danny comments, earning a snort from LaF. Perry tries to hide her laugh behind her hand, but fails and she merely coughs afterwards.

LaF raises their hand, as if in a classroom. “If you’re trying to butter her up, dressing up as a bowl of mashed potatoes may not be the way to go.”

“Or like she’s the runaway spatula from a mayonnaise jar,” Perry chimes in before she can stop herself.

Danny lets out a surprised laugh as LaF holds up their hand for Perry to high-five.

“Sorry, Laura,” Perry mumbles, her smile betraying her apology.

Laura lets out a whine and goes back to her closet. “I give up. Maybe I should cancel.”

 

“And say what?” Danny asks, amused. “‘Sorry, Carmilla. I can’t see you anymore. Except for any time something magical comes up in my magic-filled life?‘”

Laura turns, eyes wide. “Oh gosh. If we break up, that’s gonna be so awkward!” She squeaks and thuds her head against the closet door. “I’m so screwed.”

“Would you like to be?” Carmilla asks from the hallway.

Laura’s mouth drops open and she blushes so profusely she feels like she might pass out.

“Aaaand that’s our cue to leave,” Perry says, gesturing for LaFontaine and Danny to exit.

 

Carmilla stays in the doorway, a lazy smile on her face. “What’s going on, cupcake?”

“Nothing,” Laura replies innocently.

“So…” Carmilla sits on Laura’s bed, her expression growing more amused. “You just dress up as a deflated marshmallow regularly?”

“I-I––” Laura bunches up her face. “Unless you mean the _Veronica_ Mars kind, I do _not_ look like a deflated marshmallow!”

“I dunno, it must be _something_ about you, because I could just eat you alive,” Carmilla teases.

Laura stands there stammering, her face growing hotter by the second.

 

Danny clears her throat from outside and Laura lets out a sigh of relief. “Not to interrupt what seems to be one-sided flirting and one-sided stroking out,” Danny says, making Carmilla snicker, “but we’re going out to investigate a case. No need to come with us, though. We’ll call if we need you later?”

Laura nods, not trusting her words at the moment.

“Awesome,” Danny says. “Have an awesome _date._ ” She cackles as she walks away.

Carmilla grins as Laura crosses her arm and grumbles. “Cutie, if you can’t pick an outfit, there is the option to not wear anything at all…”

Laura’s mouth drops open. “You know, if you kill me _before the date_ , there’s no point, right?”

Carmilla actually laughs and Laura smiles. Carmilla laughs with her entire body and it’s so genuinely pure and bright. It’s a sight and a sound she can get used to.

 

* * *

 

“Wow. Tank top and jeans. Risky,” Carmilla teases when Laura finally leaves her bedroom.

“Don’t you mean risqué?” Laura says, rolling her eyes.

“Sure, that, too.”

Laura giggles. “Where has this flirty side of you been?”

Carmilla shrugs. Then her eyes widen in panic. “Am I making you uncomfortable? Do you want me to stop?”

Laura shakes her head with a giggle. “No, I like it. I was just wondering.”

Carmilla nods, satisfied. “Well, in all seriousness–– you look gorgeous, Laura. As always.”

“You, too,” Laura replies, gesturing at Carmilla’s black corset and leather pants. “I mean, _wow._ ”

Carmilla laughs and extends a hand. “Shall we?”

Laura places her hand in Carmilla’s, giving it a squeeze. “We shall.”

 

They orb behind a booth at the carnival and Laura stares around, eyes lighting up.

“What should we do first?” Carmilla asks, keeping their fingers intertwined.

Laura beams, loving that their hands seem to fit together perfectly. “How good are you at winning stuffed animals?”

Carmilla shrugs. “I’m alright, I guess.”

 

* * *

 

“Carm, please. No more,” Laura begs. She’s currently carrying around over half a dozen various prizes, including two large teddy bears.

“But there’s a cute––”

Laura frowns, waving a stuffed TARDIS at her. “No more!”

Carmilla pouts and Laura groans.

“ _What_ is it?”

With a sheepish smile, Carmilla points at a cupcake plush.

“Fine, fine. One more,” Laura chuckles.

 

The dude running the booth laughs when he sees them walk up. “Well, I’ve heard about you two,” he notes, setting up the water pistol. “You’ve already done the hoops and the ring toss and bottles and dunk tank and high striker. Word’s gotten out about you and your reputation precedes you.”

“A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do,” Carmilla says with a wink, making Laura giggle.

 

Laura’s phone rings and she carefully places the prizes down on the booth bench to answer it.

“Hey. Are you still at the carnival?” Danny asks.

“Yup.”

Danny pauses. “Well, the demon we’re after is in the area–– _we think_.”

“Do you guys need my help?”

“Nah. Just wanted to make sure you’re aware,” Danny says. “How’s it going?”

Before Laura can reply, she can actually hear Carmilla pout. “I’m over here slaving over a hot water gun and you aren’t even watching me.”

 

“It’s going great. Gotta go,” Laura rushes out. “Lemme know if you guys need me, though!” She hangs up and stands behind Carmilla, prizes in tow. “Sorry about that.”

Carmilla grins. “I was just teasing. Is everything okay?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Laura says. “Now, I do believe I was promised a cupcake plush.” 

 

* * *

 

“Thanks for orbing all the prizes back to the house,” Laura says sweetly as Carmilla reappears behind a booth.

Carmilla grins. “Of course. What kind of a chivalrous girlfriend would I be if I made you carry all the loot the whole evening?”

Laura beams at Carmilla.

“What?”

“You called me your _girlfriend_ ,” Laura says, wrapping her hands around Carmilla’s wrists and tugging her closer.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “A-Are we not c–– I’m sorry I assumed…”

Laura giggles. “Don’t be silly, I’m more than fine with that. As long as you are, too?”

Carmilla nods shyly, trying and failing to suppress a smile. “Yeah.”

 

Laura pulls Carmilla back into the buzz of the carnival. “So, what’s a couple _girlfriends_ to do, now?”

Carmilla shrugs.

Laura points up. “Ferris Wheel?”

“Lead the way, cutie,” Carmilla bows.

They begin weaving through the crowd. “Maybe afterwards, we can go on the bumper cars? And stuff ourselves with cotton candy!” Laura squeals.

Carmilla scoffs. “Yes, because what we need is you being even _more_ hyper.”

Laura pouts and Carmilla chuckles.

“Fine. We can do those things. As long as we end it on the Tunnel of Love.”

Laura blushes and giggles, nodding. “You’ve got yourself a deal, Karnstein.”

 

Carmilla finds herself tugged through the crowd by a very determined Laura, only to bump right into her when she stops short. They watch as a girl is being yanked into the Tunnel of Love, obviously against her will.

“We should go help her,” Laura says urgently.

“I’m not really sure this falls into our area of expertise, buttercup,” Carmilla comments.

Laura turns with a frown. “We’re supposed to help people.”

“I know, but that didn’t seem to have a very magical sense to it. You really wanna go deal with what’s probably some lover’s spat?”

One look at Laura is the only answer she needs.

“Alright, alright, let’s go after them,” Carmilla groans.

 

They run into the back end of the Tunnel and both sigh. “Of _course_ it splits off,” Laura grumbles. “I’ll go left, you go right. Call in ten minutes to compare notes?”

“Sounds good to me,” Carmilla nods. She watches as Laura jogs off in one direction and drags her feet as she heads off in the other, setting an alarm for ten minutes.

The path goes on for several minutes before Carmilla hits a dead end. _Nothing but unfinished tracks and dirt. Waste of time._

She starts walking back when her alarm goes off, so she pulls out her phone and calls Laura.

No reply.

 

She frowns and redials, and once again it goes straight to voicemail.

Carmilla pockets her phone and closes her eyes, trying to focus on Laura and sense her location.

Nothing.

She walks outside, panic starting to settle in. Then she hears one very characteristically shrill voice and immediately walks towards the curly redhead it belongs to.

 _The Dimwit Squad_.

 

“Carmilla?” LaFontaine greets, immediately noticing her worried expression. “What’s the matter?”

“Laura and I saw this guy dragging a girl down that way and followed him. We split up, and now I can’t get her on the phone or sense her,” Carmilla explains, trying to remain calm.

Danny crosses her arms. “ _That_ ’s not good. Can you lead us to where she went?”

Carmilla nods, immediately turning and taking them back the way she came, this time turning left.

 

For a few minutes, this path looks just as deserted as hers. It isn’t until they see a dim light instead of a dead end that Carmilla perks up.

As they get near, they see a crumpled form on the ground.

Danny rushes forward and checks. “Poor little old lady,” she sighs.

“Yeah, but… she’s wearing the same outfit of the woman Laura and I saw get grabbed,” Carmilla frowns.

Perry cocks her head to the side, confused. “So?”

“That woman was in her mid-twenties.” Carmilla shakes her head. “Check for her wallet.”

Danny carefully digs around and produces one, checking the ID. “Damn. She’s 26.”

“Then why does she look like someone who would be living in Laura’s nursing home?” Perry asks.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “I think I know who we’re dealing w––”

 

“Help!” Laura’s voice squeaks from further down the path.

LaF and Carmilla are the first ones to run into a small cavern, where Laura is tied down to a large plank of wood, her eyes glowing red. And old wrinkly man stands before her, his eyes also glowing red. Two streams of light connect their eyes. The longer the connection remains, the younger he seems to become.

LaF forms a fireball and lobs it at the demon, who stumbles backwards. He growls and turns to run out while Carmilla and LaFontaine struggle to free Laura.

 

Carmilla swallows hard when she sees what’s happened to Laura. She seems to have aged sixty years, having the youth drained from her. Her hair has turned white and lines mar her face. But the smile and the fire in her eyes remain.

Danny and Perry run in and the latter lets out a gasp. “Laura?”

Laura groans as Carmilla gingerly helps her to the ground.

“What the hell did this?” Danny asks, looking ready to cry.

“Javna,” Carmilla growls. “He pops up once a year to drain youth from people.”

“That explains why I’ve suddenly developed a strong urge to play bingo and growl at kids to get off my lawn,” Laura comments, making Carmilla give a dry laugh.

 

“Okay, well, we have to find him,” LaF comments. “He still looked relatively geriatric.”

“How are we gonna lure him out?” Perry asks.

Laura coughs and everyone looks at her.

“Oh. Sorry. My throat’s just dry,” she says sheepishly. “Can we still stop for some cotton candy later?” she asks Carmilla.

“Yes, whatever you want,” Carmilla says softly.

 

“Wait.” Laura’s face lights up.

“Damn, Hollis really wanted that cotton candy,” Danny teases.

“No, that’s not what––” Laura shakes her head. “Well, I mean I _do_ want cotton candy. But that’s not it. I have an idea on how to lure him out.”

 

* * *

 

Carmilla holds Laura to help support her as she walks.

“Darn knees aren’t what they used to be,” Laura jokes.

Carmilla tightens her hold on her. “You sure you’re up for this?”

“We don’t have any better ideas, do we?” Laura asks. She frowns. “That wasn’t a rhetorical question. _Do_ we have any better ideas? I don’t remember.”

Carmilla chuckles. “No, cutie. It’s all you.”

“You still think I’m cute?” Laura grins.

Carmilla nods immediately.

“I think I’m not the only one with failing eyesight,” Laura teases as they near the cotton candy stand. Carmilla buys her some and laughs as Laura is stuffing a ball of cotton candy bigger than her face into her mouth.

 

“Excuse me, young man,” Laura says when she’s almost done with it.

He gives her a warm, polite smile. “Yes?”

“I notice you have a microphone here. Does it go through the whole area?”

He nods. “Yup! This is where we announce that the park is closing, ma’am.”

Carmilla lets out a snort and tries to cover it up with a cough.

Laura glares at her. “May I please use it, just for a moment?” she asks sweetly. “This useless woman over here lost her son by the Tunnel of Love and we’d be much obliged.”

Carmilla sucks her teeth and narrows her eyes at Laura.

“Of course,” the guy says.

 

“You are much too kind.” Laura grabs the microphone and clears her throat. “ _Javna, get to the place near the Tunnel of Love where I last saw you. Immediately,_ ” she commands. “Thank you,” she says to the man with a giddy wave, turning to leave.

Carmilla rolls her eyes as they head back.

“What?” Laura giggles.

Carmilla bats her eyelashes innocently, mockingly raising her voice a few octaves. “Oh, golly gee you muscular beefcake, can I pretty please use this here microphone? Wow, such arms! Thank you, kind sir!”

“I do _not_ sound like that,” Laura laughs, grabbing Carmilla’s arm.

“You really do, shortcake,” Carmilla teases back, chuckling when Laura huffs.

They return to group in the cavern in the Tunnel of Love.

 

“You sounded so adorable over the mic,” Danny snickers.

“Is that any way to treat your elder?” Laura narrows her eyes playfully. “You know, when I was your age––”

LaF scoffs. “–– _Please_ don’t make me punch an old lady.”

Dragging footsteps are heard, as if the walker is approaching grudgingly.

Javna appears, scowling. “How did you summon me against my will?”

“You may have drained the youth from my girlfriend,” Carmilla smirks, “but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still got it.”

Laura beams proudly as Danny, LaFontaine, and Perry gather near her.

 

He growls. “Just because you managed to get me here doesn’t mean I’m going down without a fight.”

His eyes glow red and they fire straight at Laura.

She quickly whips out her cellphone and the rays bounce off the screen, redirecting into his eyes. He drops, howling in pain.

 

Danny produces a spell on a piece of paper and holds it in front of all of them.

“ _Evil eyes that look unto us,_

_May they soon turn to dust,_

_Banished and powerless,_

_Eye of Earth, evil and accursed._ ”

Laura’s hand begins to glow, so she holds it out towards Javna. A beam flows from it and hits him, reducing him to a skeleton that blows away as dust.

 

Laura frowns down at her cracked phone screen. “Dammit. I don’t think this is covered under the warranty.”

“Nice reflexes with the phone, Laura,” Perry comments.

“I guess you could say _eye_ could _see_ that coming,” Laura quips.

Carmilla groans. “Dork.”

Laura visibly returns to her regular, young self. “Oh, dagnabbit. I didn’t get a chance to ask someone to get me prune juice.”

Carmilla raises an eyebrow and walks over. “I mean, if that’s how you wanna end the night… with a nice, tall glass of prune juice…”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Maybe next time.”

“Oh, so you’re already banking on there being a second date?” Carmilla teases.

Laura bunches up her face. “Not if you keep on being annoying,” she replies with a nudge.

 

LaF rolls their eyes. “How about you guys go and take your squishy feelings and finish your first date? We can deal with the, uhm, body over there.”

Laura frowns. “Are you sure?”

Danny nods. “Absolutely. Thanks for helping out at all, Hollis.”

“ _Kaythanksbye_!” Laura squeals and drags Carmilla out. “To the Ferris Wheel!”

* * *

  

Soon they’re settled into their gondola, staring into the night sky.

“I always loved this,” Carmilla says as they make their slow ascent. She glances over at Laura, who shifts closer so their sides are pressed together.

“Looking at the stars,” Carmilla clarifies. “It’s comforting, to think how small we are in comparison. All the lives we’ve led, the people we’ve been, nothing to that light.”

Laura chuckles beside her. “Carm, you’re anything but small.”

 

Carmilla blinks in surprise. “How do you do that?” she whispers.

“Do what?” Laura asks.

“You make me feel…” Carmilla stammers a bit before she shrugs. “You just make me _feel_.”

Laura leans in closer to Carmilla. “Maybe I just think you’ve spent too much time brooding in the darkness. And yet you still care–– Carm, you care _so_ much. You give the world so much, even when it hasn’t given you much in return. And you deserve better than that.”

 

Carmilla smiles so wide she thinks her face might actually crack and she can feel tears in her eyes.

She swallows hard. “Laura, I–I hope you don’t see me as a hero or anything like that. Because I’m not. I’m a whitelighter who fell for a charge, and then watched her die. And then spent the past how-many-years serving up witches to be sacrificed. Even if I thought it was for a good cause… I’m not one of the good guys. Not like you.”

“I’m not asking you to be,” Laura insists immediately. “You know how you said that when you said you wanted to be in a relationship with me, you meant with all of me?”

Carmilla nods, sniffling as Laura holds her hands in hers.

“The same goes for me. I’m not with you just because I think you’re some epic hero in the making. I’m with you because you’ve stumbled on the way, but you’re still here. Fighting the good fight. Caring. In spite of the Universe and the Powers That Be getting in your way, _you’re still here_. With me.”

By now, they’ve reached the top of the Ferris wheel.

Laura swallows hard. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

She leans forward and Carmilla meets her halfway. Laura captures Carmilla’s lips in hers and for a moment, the world melts away. There’s no sacrifices or rituals. No demons, witches, or whitelighters.

Just two girls sharing their first kiss at the top of a Ferris wheel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laura and Carmilla, sittin' in a tree........
> 
> Anyways, I'm eyeballing for the next update to be Tuesday :D  
> If at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need clarification or elaboration on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! It's always a pleasure.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> As always, thank you for reading. Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	20. Screwed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla finds out Laura's birthday is coming up and panics while trying to figure out what to do to show Laura how much she means to her. When a spell backfires, she and Laura wind up with a better understanding of each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and commenting! Y'all make an insecure, paranoid little creampuff feel like... a slightly less insecure, paranoid little creampuff ;)

“Cupcake hotline, this is Carmilla speaking,” Carmilla says on the first ring of Laura’s phone. “How may I not help you?”

Danny sighs on the other end. “Is she still resting from… everything?”

“From going after my mother and then getting drained by Javna?” Carmilla clicks her tongue. “You betcha.”

“Okay, well, that actually works out better for planning out her birthday party. Which we can do that now,” Danny says. “Putting you on speaker for LaFontaine, Perry, Kirsch, and J.P.”

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “ _WHAT_?”

 

“I said, I’m putting you on spe––”

“No, not _that_ , you overgrown carrot,” Carmilla snaps. “Laura’s birthday is coming up?”

Kirsch snorts. “Bro, did you not read Laura’s file from the Elders?”

Carmilla guiltily looks over at the large folder, crammed with a stack of papers inside. “Uh, I–– ah… Pfft.”

“I think she just deflated,” LaF comments.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Look, when I got the folder from the Elders, we had already established we were gonna be in a relationship. Reading about the milestones in her life, or her interests, or whatever–– it felt like cheating.”

“Aww!” Perry squeals. “You wanted to get to know Laura on your own!”

“I mean, yeah, whatever,” Carmilla mumbles.

 

Danny laughs. “Alright, alright, Karnstein. Laura’s birthday is in a couple days, so how do you wanna handle this?”

Carmilla pinches the bridge of her nose and closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. Then something occurs to her. “Why hasn’t Laura mentioned it?”

There’s a pause on the other end and Carmilla taps her fingers on the kitchen countertop impatiently.

“The attack that killed our parents was the day after her birthday,” Perry says softly.

Carmilla sucks in a breath, treading carefully. After all, Laura’s mom died along with Perry’s mom, Danny’s dad, and LaFontaine’s mom.

 

“She doesn’t really like making it a big thing,” LaF explains. “We usually do a cake or cookies and some presents.”

“We went a little crazy the year she could legally drunk, but that’s a story for another time,” Danny says. “But we figure this year is different coz she’s not at Magic School, and she… Well, she has you.”

Carmilla takes this in slowly. She flops on the couch. “Gee, no pressure.”

Danny chuckles. “Karnstein, we’re not trying to force you into anything. We just wanted to know if we had to work around any plans you may have had.”

There’s a pause as Carmilla’s mind begins to whirl.

“O-Okay,” Perry stammers out. “How about we plan a small celebration? A few hours in the middle of the day–– and you can either plan something for her outside of that, or not. Does that sound doable?”

 

Carmilla lets out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. “Yes.”

“And if you need our help picking out a present or something, let us know,” J.P. offers.

“I don’t need help with that,” Carmilla growls.

“Yikes, no need to bite my bro’s head off,” Kirsch says. “And no getting her a TARDIS nightlight. I already called dibs on that.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes, grumbles a ‘thank you,’ and hangs up.

 

Carmilla runs a hand through her hair. “Okay, Carmilla Karnstein. You’re almost four centuries old. You’ve faced things more difficult than figuring out what to do for a charge-recently-turned-girlfriend’s birthday. You’ve got this. You––”

There’s a soft yawn from the doorway and Laura groggily trudges into the kitchen. Her hair is slightly sticking up and she rubs at her eyes. “Hey, Carm.”

 _Screwed._ Carmilla sighs. _You’re so screwed_.

 

* * *

 

 

Carmilla fidgets with her coffee cup lid before abandoning it to play with the sleeve.

“If you’re trying to impersonate a kindergartener, you’re doing a fine job,” a voice teases from behind her.

Carmilla grins and turns to see Mattie. She practically leaps from her seat and pulls her into a hug.

“When you said that you had an emergency,” Mattie says, kissing Carmilla on the cheek and taking her seat, “I wasn’t expecting you to ask me to help deal with it in some café.”

“I just really needed someone to talk to,” Carmilla says softly. “Someone who isn’t friends with Laura.”

“Ah, yes. The girl you threw Mother under the bus over,” Mattie remarks, picking up the drink Carmilla ordered for her. “How is she? Both the girl and Mother.”

Carmilla shrugs. “Mother was causing such a ruckus that they not only caged her, they cast a mute spell on her.”

“Typical,” Mattie cackles. “The world may be better for it. Taking over her businesses has proven to work well for all parties involved. I think we’re all winners in this thing. That is, until Hell is unleashed onto earth… but that’s a conversation for another time.” Mattie grins smugly and sips her drink. “Demons are saying they prefer my bluntness over her cruelty.”

Carmilla smiles warmly. “I could’ve told you that.”

“ _Sap,_ ” Mattie teases. “And the girl?”

 

Carmilla sighs and drops her face into her hands. “It’s her birthday tomorrow and I don’t know what to get her.”

Mattie raises an eyebrow. “Please tell me _this_ isn’t the emergency.”

Carmilla grins sheepishly. “Uhmmm…”

“Oh, for the love of _God_ , Carm.” Mattie sighs exasperatedly. “How do you expect me to help with _that_?”

“ _I don’t know_!” Carmilla whines. “All I know is when I go to ask Laura’s friends, they’re all so sweet about it and are so nice trying to get me involved in everything that I feel like crap and don’t want to bother them.”

Mattie smirks. “So you wanted to ask me because you knew I wouldn’t be nice about it?”

Carmilla shrugs. “I just wanted an outside perspective for ideas.”

 

Mattie takes a long sip of her drink. “You _really_ care about this girl, don’t you?”

Carmilla nods miserably. “She makes me smile and laugh, Mattie. She’s just so kind and I feel like I don’t give her enough in return and I just… really want to show her how much she means to me.”

A few moments go by as Mattie continues to drink from her cup and Carmilla stares down at hers.

“A spell,” Mattie declares upon finishing her drink.

“Huh?”

“I’ll have one of Mother’s lackeys do a spell to help you figure out what to get her,” Mattie elaborates. “No guarantees, but this isn’t my area of expertise, so it’s the best I can do.”

She stands up and walks around the table, giving Carmilla a small hug.

“Thank you so much, Mattie,” Carmilla says.

Mattie chuckles as she goes to leave. “Oh, hon. When it comes to this girl, you are so sc––”

“––Screwed. I know.”

* * *

 

 

That night, Laura is tucked into Carmilla’s side on the couch, dozing off in front of some _Doctor Who_ episode she’s apparently seen dozens of times.

Carmilla’s feeling antsy, since nothing magical seems to have happened, yet. And she still has no idea what to get Laura.

Laura twitches awake and mumbles an apology.

“Maybe you should go to bed, cutie,” Carmilla says quietly.

Laura nods and presses a small kiss to Carmilla’s cheek before realizing what she’s done. “Uhm… we are on ‘casual kiss’ level, right?” she asks shyly.

Carmilla grins and gives Laura a small peck back. “Yes.”

Laura blushes and giggles. “Goodnight, Carm.”

“Goodnight.”

She waits until Laura is out of earshot before she lets out a groan.

“Mattie, if you’re gonna come in clutch, now would be a _great_ time.”

 

By morning, Carmilla finds that she’s dozed off waiting. Except now she’s somehow in Laura’s bed, and not the couch.

Her eyes crack open. “What the––”

There’s a yelp followed by a _thud_ from the living room and she practically falls out of the bed trying to get to what she assumes is a distressed Laura.

Except that’s not what she finds at all.

Instead, she sees _herself_.

 

“Shapeshifter!” her doppelgänger shouts, echoing her own suspicions.

“Wait, no––” Carmilla freezes, hearing Laura’s voice come out instead.

The doppelgänger also pauses, confused. “Why do I sound like Carmilla?”

 _Oh, crap_. Carmilla sighs. “Laura, it’s me.”

“What?” she squeaks.

“It’s me, Carmilla–– in your body. And you’re in mine. We’ve swapped bodies.”

Laura’s mouth hangs open in shock. “How?”

“I’m not sure, but I have a hunch.” Carmilla sighs, reaching for her phone. She dials Mattie, who picks up on the third ring.

 

“Did it work?” she asks, settling on the couch.

“What. Did. You. Do.” Carmilla demands. Laura plops down on the couch with a huff.

There’s a pause on the other end. “Oh, sorry. I thought I was speaking to Carm.”

“You _are_ ,” Carmilla growls in Laura’s voice.

Another pause. “Oh. Oops.”

“‘Oops?’ You swap my body with Laura’s and that’s all you have to say?” Carmilla demands. “What the hell did you do, Mattie?”

“Look, I simply asked someone who owed me a favor to cast a spell to help you figure out what Laura wants. Clearly the magic decided to get a little creative,” Mattie replies, amused.

 

“This isn’t funny!” Laura blurts out.

Mattie chuckles. “Tell your little peanut to settle down.”

“I am _not_ a peanut,” Laura grumbles, crossing her arms.

Carmilla sighs and tugs Laura closer to her. “How do we reverse this?”

“Good question. Pretty sure you don’t. Usually, body-swapping spells just wear off whenever the point has been made. ‘Walk a mile’ and all that.” There’s some rustling. “Carmilla, dear, I’m sorry about this mix-up, but I really do need to be going. Call me back when you’re you again.”

The call ends and Carmilla tosses her phone to the side.

 

Laura narrows her eyes at Carmilla suspiciously. “Why did you ask Mattie for help in finding out what I wanted?”

Carmilla opens and closes her mouth several times before staring down into her hands on her lap. “Because I didn’t know what to get you for your birthday.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “Carm…”

 

There’s a knock at the door and Laura gets up to answer it. Carmilla’s mind is still trying to process everything when she realizes too late who’s at the door.

“Laura! Wai––”

The door opens and Danny pauses, staring at Carmilla’s body in confusion. “Dude, you were supposed to let Laura answer the door.”

Carmilla gets off the couch and the group rushes in, shouting “ _SURPRISE_!”

“You idiots,” Carmilla growls in Laura’s body.

 

They all look taken aback. “Uhm, Laura,” Perry stammers, “I know you don’t like celebrating your birthday, but…”

Kirsch sniffles. “You don’t have to be so mean about it, dude.”

Laura rolls her eyes, closing the door. “What she meant to say was… _I’m_ Laura.”

LaFontaine frowns and looks back and forth between Laura and Carmilla. “Body swap?”

“Not voluntarily,” Carmilla insists.

Laura giggles and everyone looks bewildered at the sound coming from Carmilla’s mouth. “Well, for what it’s worth–– I’m surprised. And so grateful, guys!”

 

J.P. puts a large box in a bag down on the counter. “We brought cake for after lunch. Which we’ll be cooking for you.”

Laura squeals and hugs everyone one by one. “Great! In the meantime, Carm and I can try to sort out this body swap brouhaha.”

Carmilla and Laura head to the bedroom and Carmilla flops onto the bed.

“How are you even walking around?” Carmilla groans.

“What do you mean?” Laura asks, bouncing onto the bed beside her.

Carmilla shifts over so they can both lie down comfortably. “I’m so _tired_.”

“Well, I mean, a solo round against your mom and an encounter with Javna will do that to you,” Laura giggles.

“You’ve been feeling like this for _days_?” Carmilla gapes at her, appalled.

Laura shrugs. “Actually, I’ve been feeling stronger the past couple days.”

 

Carmilla sits up with a frown. “Laura… Are you telling me you went demon-hunting, and on our first date feeling _this weak_ , if not, weaker?”

Laura nods sheepishly.

Carmilla stares at her in awe. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because, silly, I wanted to go on a date with you.”

“ _That_ badly?” Carmilla asks as a joke.

Laura smiles sincerely. “Yes.”

Carmilla blinks, not expecting a serious answer.

 

They stay on the bed for a while, trying to figure out how to fix the problem to no avail.

Eventually Perry knocks on the doorframe. “Lunch is almost ready.”

Laura leaps off the bed with a ‘ _whoop_!’ She’s halfway out the door before she runs back in, grabbing Carmilla, and yanking her off the bed and into the dining room. “Foodfoodfood foooooood!”

Danny laughs as Laura dives onto a chair, bopping in place eagerly. “Some things never change, Hollis.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lunch goes by smoothly, with Laura talking as she eats.

“I have never seen myself look more uncouth,” Carmilla comments, staring at her own body shovel food into her mouth.

“Ifff yeweet fah-ther, weegit cake sooner,” Laura mumbles enthusiastically.

“Well, who am I to delay the birthday girl getting her cake?” Carmilla chuckles, picking up pace slightly.

LaF and Kirsch drag Laura out of the kitchen so they can wash the dishes and get the cake out.

 

Carmilla hangs around the kitchen.

“So, how’s this spell working out for ya?” Danny asks, loading the dishwasher. “Any insights into what Laura wants?”

Carmilla sighs and shakes her head. “No. And now she’s stuck spending her birthday in the wrong body.”

“She doesn’t seem to have a problem with it,” Perry shrugs and peeks into the next room, smiling as giggles are heard. “In fact, she’s currently having fun orbing around the living room.”

The giggles die down as Laura starts shushing Kirsch and LaF. “Bet you can’t hit me!” Laura whispers.

 

J.P.’s eyes widen. “I hope that doesn’t mean––”

A whoosh followed by a loud crash is heard as Kirsch lets out a cheer. “Try to hit her again, bro!”

There’s another whoosh and orbing lights, followed by another crash.

Perry’s mouth drops open as she takes the cake out of the fridge. “Are they…”

Danny goes to the doorway as a fireball flies by. “They’re paying dodge ball with fireballs and orbing,” she says flatly. “HOW OLD ARE YOU?” she shouts.

“Many,” Laura replies sweetly and innocently. “ _So_ many.”

“Dude, she asked how old you are,” Kirsch whispers. “Danny, she’s 23!”

Danny facepalms and turns back, rolling her eyes but amused. “Idiots.”

 

A few more minutes pass of LaF lobbing small fireballs at Laura while the others set up the cake.

“Stop destroying Laura’s father’s home and come in here for the cake,” Perry calls out.

Kirsch comes running in immediately, trailed by LaFontaine. “That girl’s got some serious reflexes,” they comment.

Laura grins on her way in, joined at the doorway by Carmilla.

J.P. gestures for the others to step aside. “Someone go turn off the li––”

His expression drops as he looks behind Laura and Carmilla.

 

Black orbs fill the space and they both turn to face them. A darklighter appears behind them.

“Gotta say, I’ve never been hired by a human before,” he notes, producing a picture from his pocket. His eyes fall on Laura’s body and he grins. “But who am I to turn down money?”

He grabs her arm and orbs out, but Laura yells out, “No!” in Carmilla’s body and latches on.

The trio orb out of the house before anyone else can act.

 

* * *

 

They orb into an abandoned medical wing and he shoves Laura off, keeping his hold on Carmilla.

“Finally,” a voice says impatiently.

The darklighter rolls his eyes. “A little gratitude goes a long way, doc.”

Laura’s mouth drops open. “No way.”

Her doctor from the magical illness at the hospital steps towards them. “You brought her friend along?”

“Wasn’t by choice,” the darklighter snaps.

Carmilla, still being held by him, struggles to break free and fails. “What the hell is going on?”

 

“I was asked about a case involving one Laura Hollis. I had no idea what the nurse was talking about. It became obvious with time that my memory was wiped,” the doctor says, staring into Laura’s eyes, unaware it’s Carmilla looking back. “Took some research to find out it was something called whitelighter memory dust. I asked around in some _magical_ communities about these… guardian angels, and found out about those meant to take them down.” He narrows his eyes at her. “Whatever you are–– have your friends restore my memories, Miss Hollis.”

Laura stands to go to Carmilla’s aid, but the darklighter makes his crossbow appear and points it at her, keeping her at bay. “I don’t think so.”

“Use my–– _your_ powers,” Laura says to Carmilla.

Carmilla swallows hard. “I––”

The doctor’s eyes widen. “You have powers, too?”

“Come on, doc. I thought you did your research. Whitelighters look after witches,” the darklighter sighs.

 

“Use your powers,” Laura repeats.

The darklighter fires an arrow at her, but she manages to orb out with a yelp.

“ _Leave her alone,_ ” Carmilla orders.

He immediately lowers his weapon, growling as Laura orbs back in.

Carmilla smirks and faces the doctor. “ _Drop your mission to get your memories back. You’re fine without them. Laura Hollis is of no importance to you._ ”

The doctor nods grudgingly.

“ _Let me go,_ ” she commands the darklighter.

Laura reaches forward and pulls Carmilla towards her as soon as she’s released.

 

“Just because I’m letting this go doesn’t mean I’ll forget,” the doctor warns.

Carmilla cocks her head to the side, her eyes darkening. She gently pulls away from Laura and looks at the darklighter. “Maybe I should have him shut you up.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “Carm, _no_.” She starts to grab at her, but Carmilla steps away.

“ _Don’t try and stop me,_ ” Carmilla demands.

Laura freezes in place. “Carm––”

Carmilla nods at the darklighter. “ _Take care of the doctor._ ”

“ _Carm_!”

 

The darklighter smirks. “With pleasure. Probably shouldn’t have paid in advance, buddy.” He fires an arrow, but as it reaches the doctor, it makes a turn and flies into the wall. He scowls. “What the––”

“Kirsch, get the doctor out of here. And erase his memory over this, too,” Danny says, running into the area.

Kirsch nods and orbs the doctor out.

The darklighter snarls and fires another arrow, this time at Danny. Danny waves her arm out and the arrow flies back, striking him in the chest. He doubles over, wailing in agony as he explodes.

Danny looks over at the couple, where Laura is staring at Carmilla.

 

Carmilla is staring at the ground. “I… Your…” She shakes her head, swallowing hard. “Your powers…”

Laura steps towards her tentatively. “Carm…”

“How do you do this?” Carmilla asks, barely above a whisper. “How do you do this without totally losing control of it?”

Laura stands next to her, taking her hand but remaining silent.

“The power felt amazing and I just want to keep using it,” Carmilla admits, horrified.

Laura gives her a small peck on the cheek. “It’s you.”

Carmilla looks at her, confused.

 

“It’s you,” Laura repeats. “Ever since you told me about my powers, you’ve been there ever step of the way. Through the fear, the excitement, the learning curve. You’ve been so patient and caring. Carm, I couldn’t have made it this far without you. I’m so grateful to you for just _being here_ and not running away.”

Tears form in Carmilla’s eyes and she sniffles. “I think you’re grossly overestimating my importance.”

“And I think you’re underselling it.” Laura chuckles. “You wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday? I know this is gonna sound cheesy, but as long as I have you, I’m happy.”

Carmilla stares at her, eyes wide. “You couldn’t have told me this last night?“

Laura giggles and kisses her on the lips.

 

Lights swirl around the room, surrounding Laura and Carmilla. There’s a flash as the lights swap places.

“Hey,” Laura says in her own body, beaming at Carmilla.

“Hey,” Carmilla returns. She takes a deep breath. “I know I’m not good with the feelings thing, but… I’m sorry I ruined your birthday with this spell.”

Laura giggles. “‘Ruined?’ Carm, this is the best birthday ever. Now we’re closer than we’ve ever been!”

Carmilla smirks. “So, what you’re saying is, when it comes to us… you’re as screwed as I am.”

“Definitely,” Laura laughs. She pulls Carmilla in again for another kiss. Carmilla smiles into it and relaxes into Laura’s arms.

 

Danny’s phone rings and she frowns down at it as both Laura and Carmilla jump. “Yep. Still here,” she says flatly. “And Kirsch is FaceTiming me.” She answers it and there’s frantic hyperventilating on the other end.

Laura and Carmilla slowly walk over, Carmilla obviously more annoyed at the interruption than Laura.

 

“Dudes!” Kirsch’s face goes away as he swaps the camera so they can see the cake, still lit by candles. “The cake is melting!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next update should be this _Sunday_.  
>  As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or on my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from you guys!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	21. Club Can't Handle Me Right Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Carmilla makes another attempt to celebrate Laura's birthday, while learning a little more about her from Laura's friends.

Laura stirs her coffee as orbs light up the room. If there was a way to orb in grumpily, Carmilla was a master at it. She appears in a huff, plopping on the couch and crossing her arms.

Laura brings her mug over, as well as one for Carmilla, and sits down. “What’s wrong?”

“ _Apparently_ ,” Carmilla growls, “it’s against the rules to work with demons to cast a spell to find out what your charge wants as a birthday present.”

Laura tries and fails to stifle a giggle. The Elders clearly had some words to say about that.

“Mattie’s not even a _demon_ ,” Carmilla continues, her scowl growing. “She’s a _seer_.”

“Mmhmm.” Laura sips from her coffee, amused.

Carmilla narrows her eyes at her. “Are you patronizing me?”

“ _No_ ,” Laura says, snickering.

 

Carmilla lightly elbows her, her scowl slowly turning into a smile. “I hate you, I’m asking for a new charge.”

“Awesome, tell the Elders to send me a new whitelighter who appreciates my coffee.”

Carmilla chuckles and picks up her mug, sipping from it. “Damn, that _is_ good,” she hums. “Guess we’re stuck with each other, after all.”

“Guess so,” Laura says with a giggle, leaning forward to peck Carmilla on the cheek.

 

They sit in silence for a moment before Carmilla starts fidgeting with her cup.

“What’s wrong, now?” Laura asks gently.

Carmilla sighs. “I still feel really bad for ruining your birthday.”

“You didn’t ruin my––”

“ _So_ , I wanted to take you out tonight,” Carmilla interrupts. “If that’s okay with you?”

Laura’s face softens and she grabs Carmilla into a hug.

“Is that a no?” Carmilla asks through a chuckle.

Laura narrows her eyes in a playful glare. “Yes, Carmilla Karnstein, I would love to go out with you tonight.” She tucks herself into Carmilla’s side and feels her relax. “Where do you wanna go?”

“It’s a surprise,” Carmilla says, kissing the top of Laura’s head.

 

* * *

 

 

“Okay, you can open your eyes, now. Although we both know you were peeking and totally cheating when I was orbing us here,” Carmilla teases.

“I was _not_ cheating,” Laura insists, opening her eyes. She frowns. “Y’know, Carm, when you said we should go stargazing and drink champagne, this wasn’t exactly… what I had in mind…”

She stares up at the sign for a nightclub named “Stars and Candles.”

 

“Did I mess this up, too?” Carmilla frets. “We could totally do stargazing and champagne! I just figured that was more low-key and relaxing, and maybe after everything, you wanted to cut loose and have a night out. But. We-We can…”

Carmilla looks ready to cry and Laura is immediately stammering. “C-Carm, no! I was just joking. This is fine! It’s more than fine! It’s, it’s–– It’s great. Let’s go!” She grabs Carmilla’s hand, and tugs her at the club.

“Are you _sure?_ ” Carmilla asks, biting her lip nervously when they’re in line.

Laura nods eagerly. “I love that you cared enough to plan this at all. It’ll be awesome to have a fun time with you.”

Carmilla’s rocking a black lacy top and mini-skirt, while Laura’s in a light blue tank top with black jeans. They get in immediately, heading to the bar to start perusing the book of specialty drinks.

 

“The band sounds amazing,” Laura comments.

Carmilla smiles, obviously relieved that the surprise is going well.

“Actually, I’m shocked they were able to book them. They’re a pretty big deal and the club just opened,” Laura comments, sipping on her water.

Carmilla smirks. “Maybe it was coz they knew we would be here tonight.”

Laura laughs before extending a hand. “May I have this dance?”

Carmilla grins and takes it.

 

Laura rests her forehead on Carmilla’s shoulder for a song as they sway to the music in sync. Afterwards, they stay pressed side-by-side and continue swaying for a couple more songs.

“This was such a wonderful idea, Carm,” Laura finally says softly, giving her a kiss on the cheek. Carmilla grins widely and blushes, making Laura giggle.

 

It isn’t until a tall blonde girl, holding a drink, bumps into Laura and it spills all over her that Carmilla’s scowl returns.

“Oh! I’m so sorry,” the girl apologizes. “Dammit.” Her eyes wander to Laura’s top, where it’s already staining.

“Watch where you’re going,” Carmilla growls.

Laura elbows her lightly. “It’s fine,” she says to the girl, looking down at her top.

“Here, I’ll put my drink down, and then I’ll take you to the bathroom and help you clean this up,” the girl replies. She walks off.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Clumsy idiot.”

Laura snorts. “As a fellow clumsy idiot, I am sympathetic.”

“But on you, it’s endearing,” Carmilla says with a wink.

 

The girl returns and grabs Laura. “Ready to go?” she asks, gesturing towards the bathrooms by the VIP lounge.

Laura nods. “Can you get us some drinks at the bar?” she asks Carmilla, who does an overdramatic salute.

Carmilla turns and walks to the bar, asking for something with chocolate liqueur and glancing around the space as she waits for the drinks. That’s when she sees a familiar flash of curly red hair.

LaFontaine’s the one who spots her, however, and three redheads trail into the club as Carmilla curses under her breath.

 

“Are you guys just going to crash every one of our dates? Because if that’s the case, then I’m just not going to bother. Or, hey, maybe you guys could take the pressure off me and plan the next one for us!” Carmilla snaps.

Danny rolls her eyes. “Have you or Laura seen a tall blonde?”

“Wow, I wasn’t sure you guys knew anyone that didn’t have flaming red hair,” Carmilla comments. “But yeah, if it’s the same one I’m thinking of, she spilled her drink on Laura and took her to the bathroom.”

 

The group exchanges nervous looks.

“What?” Carmilla asks.

“That girl is a witch who came to us yesterday saying she thinks the club owner made a deal with Masselin,” Danny explains. “Y’know, the demon who eats people’s souls in exchange for assisting mortals to accomplish their goals.”

LaF runs a hand through their hair. “She thinks the club owner has been bringing people into the VIP lounge to feed to it in exchange for the club’s success.”

“So we sent her in here with the potion disguised as a drink. We were coming as backup,” Perry finishes.

 

“Right, well… when they come back from the bathroom, you can deal with all that and leave me and Laura out of it,” Carmilla sighs.

This seems to be agreeable enough, and the group makes small talk while Carmilla sips on her own drink and holds onto Laura’s.

A few minutes later, the blonde comes stumbling out from the bathroom area, brushing past people to get to the bar. “W-We have a problem,” she stammers, disheveled.

Danny raises an eyebrow. “What is it?”

Carmilla narrows her eyes. “Where’s Laura?”

“We can’t talk about it here,” the girl says.

Perry crosses her arms. “Nicole…”

“ _Not here,_ ” she repeats. “Can we go back to the coven house?”

LaF nods at Carmilla. “Orb us?”

 

Carmilla shakes her head. “Not until you tell me where Laura is.”

Nicole swallows hard. “Masselin… Masselin ate her.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Dude,” Kirsch says to J.P. as they orb into the house. “Do you think D-Bear would be mad if I ate the leftover birthday cake?”

J.P. frowns. “You ate the leftover cake last night.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“And she _was_ angry with you,” J.P. adds.

Kirsch laughs. “Oh, dude, is _that_ what she was yelling about?”

 

Orbs light up the living room and they both perk up. Carmilla appears with the others in tow, not hesitating before angrily grabbing Nicole by the shoulders and slamming her into the wall.

“How did you let this happen?” Carmilla barks.

“Whoa, whoa, bro! What’s going on?” Kirsch asks, looking around for an explanation.

 

“This bleached twig spilled a potion on Laura and then fed her to a demon!” Carmilla yells.

“Th-That’s not what happened,” Nicole insists, strained.

Perry steps forward and places a hand on Carmilla’s arm. “Carmilla, let her go, please.”

Carmilla waits for a moment before grudgingly letting go.

“What happened, Nicole?” LaF asks sharply. “You were supposed to just go in there, feed the demon the potion drink, and that’s it!”

 

She buries her face in her hands and lets out a shaky breath. “We went to the bathroom to wash the potion off that girl’s top, but two of the workers saw us and insisted we go into the VIP lounge. They basically shoved us in there, but it was just an empty room. They gave her a new top to change into. Next thing we know, this _thing_ comes through the wall at us and it just eats Laura before I could even react. And then it went back into the wall.”

“And the top?” Danny asks.

“The workers took it,” Nicole replies miserably. “I used my powers to knock them out of the way before they could feed me to it too, and ran out to find you guys.”

 

Carmilla crosses her arms and glares at her. “Top-notch witching, blondie. Where’d you learn that, from _Hogwarts Dropouts_?”

Danny holds up a hand. “Alright, alright. We can still make another potion and sneak it in another way. It’s just myrrh bark, sarresh, crushed bear root, water, and crown feathers, right?”

Perry nods. “We can make another batch quickly.”

“Then do it,” Carmilla growls.

 

LaF and Perry grab Nicole and drag her into the kitchen, away from Carmilla.

Danny watches as Carmilla plops onto the couch, head in her hands. She’s bouncing her legs and letting out shaky breaths.

“Hey,” Danny says gently, sitting beside her. “Laura’s gonna be fine. Knowing her, she’s probably talking the demon’s ear off even while in its stomach.”

Carmilla takes a deep breath but doesn’t move.

Danny looks to Kirsch and J.P. for help.

“Uhm, I can order chalupas?” Kirsch offers.

Danny rolls her eyes. “Thanks a lot, Kirsch,” she says flatly.

 

J.P. sighs, stands up, and sits on the other side of Carmilla. “It doesn’t get any easier, does it?” he says softly.

Carmilla picks her head up at that. “What?”

“Losing charges.” J.P. averts his gaze. “I’ve lost quite a few in my time. Been a whitelighter since 1874, after all. Most were due to old age, so by then they had been happily retired from vanquishing demons and didn’t need me anymore. But there were quite a few that perished well before their time should have been up. And of those tragic losses, there were some that I loved probably more than whitelighters should love their charges. So I can’t imagine being _in love_ with them and losing them. The pain would be… indescribable.”

He wrings his hands together and shrugs.

“I assume that is why you are in the harried state you’re in now?” He glances over and Carmilla nods slowly. “Just because you lost Ell, a charge you were in love with, the way you did… But that doesn’t mean that Laura will meet the same fate.”

 

“Honestly, Laura’s gotten into so many close calls in her life,” Danny says with a laugh, “that she’s like a stubborn lil cockroach.”

Carmilla chuckles. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“A couple years ago, she accidentally rhymed while cooking and released an efreet from the stove. She tried battling it with a fire extinguisher, so it called more friends and she wound up in the hospital wing with third degree burns,” Danny recounts fondly.

“Oh, I remember hearing about that,” J.P. notes. “Now there’s a rule that there’s no singing in the Magic School dorm kitchens.”

“Half the rules now are because of her,” Danny laughs. “Her freshman year, she was trying to reach a book in the library but she was too short, so she cast a spell to make herself taller. It backfired and her head broke through the library ceiling and she knocked her out. After that, there was a rule that every aisle had to have a step stool. But as punishment for her, we had a huge unconscious Laura jutting out from the library for a couple hours and the staff encouraged people to take pictures.”

 

Carmilla laughs and seems to have finally relaxed.

“Anyway, if she asks, I didn’t tell you all this just to give you ammo to use against her. I just… Laura has a knack for getting into trouble, which I’m sure you’ve noticed by now,” Danny explains. “But she’ll be fine. We’re all here for her.”

Carmilla nods, giving Danny a small smile.

 

“Potion’s ready,” Perry says, entering the room with the other two behind her. “Are we good to go?”

Danny and Carmilla stand up.

“Thanks,” Carmilla says to J.P. and Danny. “Laura’s lucky to have you all in her corner.”

 

Kirsch glances up from his phone screen. “Is that a ‘no’ on the chalupas?”

 

* * *

 

 

Carmilla and the witches re-enter the nightclub, with the group heading straight for the bar and Carmilla going to the VIP lounge. She’s since changed into thigh-highs and leather boots, as well as a corset. She walks up to the guard, a flirtatious grin appearing.

“Oh, look at these,” Carmilla says, saccharine. She reaches out and gently taps his arm. “Such arms.” Her hand trails up and squeezes. “Such shoulders… The primitive by way of the neoclassical.”

The guard looks confused, but flattered. “Yeah, well… I work out.”

“Really?” Carmilla smirks. “I would love to get a look under the hood.”

He looks around. “I can take my jacket off in the back if you really wanna see.”

“Well, don’t keep a girl waiting,” Carmilla replies, winking.

He laughs and guides Carmilla out.

 

“ _That_ was cringe-worthy,” Danny groans, leading Nicole, Perry, and LaFontaine to the VIP lounge with the potion in hand.

They slip into the empty room. “This is such a waste of space,” Perry sighs. “Think of what the club owner could do with this room if it was better decorated!”

LaF rolls their eyes. “Yeah, Per, why don’t you have a chat with him about that.”

 

A shadowy figure slowly glides through the wall and hovers in the space before them.

“Oh, hey,” LaF greets. “I believe you ate our friend earlier?”

Danny nods. “Mmhmm. Tiny blonde? Probably yammering in there about _Doctor_ _Who_ or _Buffy_ or something?”

The demon starts to move forward, but Danny pulls the vial out and it halts in place.

The door bursts open. The guard yells and tackles Danny, smashing the potion on the floor. Carmilla runs in breathlessly.

“Damn, I guess he really does work out,” she gasps.

 

Masselin lunges towards Danny.

“Stop!” Carmilla shouts.

The demon freezes and actually looks at Carmilla.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “Laura? Can you hear me in there?”

It twitches, as if it’s fighting for control over its own body.

 

“ _…Figure something out fast, coz I don’t know how long I can hold him,_ ” Laura’s voice comes out faintly from within the demon.

Nicole looks at the puddle of potion on the ground. “Freeze it!” she yells at Perry, who does so. “Now send it flying at Masselin!”

Danny waves her arm and the frozen puddle soars across the room, right into its open mouth.

It implodes immediately, and Laura appears on the ground, among a dozen other young girls.

 

“Laura!” Carmilla rushes forward as Laura pushes herself up and grabs her, pulling her into a hug.

“Longest trip to the bathroom ever, am I right?” Laura teases, pressing her face against Carmilla’s shoulder. “The line was just _so_ long.”

“Ya killin’ me, Hollis,” Carmilla chuckles. “Can’t leave you alone for a _second_.”

The other girls start to get up in confused murmurings.

 

Danny taps Laura on the shoulder. “Why don’t you and Carmilla go and finish your date? We can handle this.”

“You sure?” Laura asks.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “We really have to talk about you looking a gift horse in the mouth, cutie.”

Danny laughs. “Yes, we’re sure. Thank God you’re okay, Hollis.”

Laura gives Danny a small hug, and gets tackled in a hug by LaF and Perry on her way out.

“I’m, uh, sorry I got you eaten,” Nicole says nervously.

Laura chuckles and shrugs. “At least we got the bad guy.” She gives the group a wave and trails Carmilla out.

 

They make it outside and Laura inhales deeply.

“Laura, I’m sorry. This date was such a mess,” Carmilla apologizes.

Laura shakes her head. “Carm, it wasn’t _that_ ba––”

“You literally got eaten by a demon,” Carmilla interrupts.

“Well… yes,” Laura concedes. “That kinda sucked. But I had fun before that?”

Carmilla lets out a long sigh.

“And, I mean, Danny seemed more amicable towards you back there. Did you guys become friends or something in my absence?” Laura asks smugly.

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a playful glare. “Don’t insult me.”

 

Laura holds up her hands in mock surrender. “Fine, fine. If you orb us back to my dad’s house, you _may_ find your own surprise.”

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “Oh?”

She takes Laura’s hand and orbs them into the living room.

“I don’t see anything.”

Laura giggles and keeps Carmilla’s hand in hers. “It’s not in here, silly.” She leads them into the bedroom. There’s a new drawer and an extra pillow on the bed.

 

“I… don’t get it,” Carmilla says slowly.

“I-I know you don’t sleep,” Laura says nervously, letting go of Carmilla. “But I feel bad that every night you stay out on the couch while I’m in here sleeping. And you have nowhere to put your stuff–– i-if you have stuff.”

Carmilla presses her lips together, amused. “What are you doing, cupcake?”

“I… I’m…” Laura takes a deep breath. “I’m asking you to move in with me.”

 

Carmilla grins and pulls Laura in by the waist. “What if I’m the roommate from Hell?”

“I already _know_ you’re the roommate from Hell,” Laura teases. She leans forward and captures Carmilla’s lips in a kiss. She pulls away with a giggle. “But I want you to be _my_ roommate from Hell.”

“Oh, well in that case, how can I say no?” Carmilla asks.

She kisses Laura and walks her until Laura falls backwards onto the bed, with Carmilla on top of her. Carmilla rolls off her with a laugh and a thought occurs to her.

 

“How’d you even get the dresser in here?”

Laura props herself up on her elbow. “While we were at the nightclub, I asked Kirsch and J.P. to move it in here from the store for me.”

“Ah.” Carmilla mirror’s Laura’s pose. “And… you were right. After today, I understand your friends a little better.”

“Oh?” Laura grins.

“I was a mess when you went missing, but they… Y-You’re lucky to have them,” Carmilla admits softly. “And they’re lucky to have you.”

 

Laura nods and gives Carmilla another peck on the lips. “Not as lucky as I am to have you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking that the next update is going to be Thursday ^-^  
> If at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need clarification or elaboration on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I love talking to y'all no matter where it is.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> As always, thanks for reading, and stay awesome!! <3 :D


	22. Wishin' and Hopin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's left at the coven house alone, leading to a conversation that's been a long time coming. An interruption leaves Laura with some peace of mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back... back again... Lily's back, tell a friend~

“Hey, Perry, did all the rooms need vacuuming?” Laura asks on the phone.

“Yes, please,” Perry replies.

The group is out chasing after some demon that’s going after mermaids, and the whitelighters are being trained at some retreat, so Laura’s alone in the coven house.

“ _Oh_ , _I’ll definitely want to retreat by the end of this,_ ” Carmilla had snapped.

 

“Okey dokey,” Laura says, dragging the vacuum cleaner up the stairs.

“Thank you! See you later, Laura,” Perry chirps before hanging up.

The call ends and Laura gets to the top floor, going to clean the hallway near the attic.

 

“Laura, dear? Is that you?” the Dean’s voice calls out from within.

Laura clamps her eyes closed. _Don’tgoindon’tgoindon’tgoindon’t––_

Her curiosity getting the better of her, she sighs and brings the machine with her, turning the doorknob.

Laura observes the Dean’s surroundings. There’s some bottles of water that the gang has carefully slid into the crystal cage, as well as books to keep her preoccupied and quiet so another mute spell wouldn’t be necessary once the last one wore off. Laura tries not to laugh when she realizes most of the prizes from her first date with Carmilla at the carnival are arranged mockingly, pointed at the circle, with the cupcake plush front and center.

Clearly Carmilla didn’t want her Mother to be lonely.

 

“Ah. All alone?” the seer smirks.

“What do you want?” Laura asks warily.

The Dean scoffs from the crystal circle. “My, my. Touchy, aren’t we?” She laughs, but it’s the most empty-sounding one that Laura’s ever heard. “In case you haven’t noticed, you kidnapped me. And I’m feeling a lot like a potentially abandoned plot device.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Fine. You want a conversation?” She pulls up a chair and sits on it, facing the Dean. “Why do any of it? Sacrifice the witches?”

The Dean seems amused, but indulges her, if only to keep the conversation going.

 

“I’ve seen a lot more of the world than you have. And do you know what makes it go ‘round?” the Dean asks smugly. “Greed. Hypocrisy. Stupidity. Violence. The strong prey on the weak, the corrupt on the foolish, and even those with the best of intentions can hardly help but do more harm than good.”

Laura shifts uncomfortably.

The Dean cackles, sending shivers down Laura’s spine. “And why would I pass all of that entertainment up just for the gates of Hell to open up and swallow the world in endless torment? Talk about monotonous.”

“So, what? You’re saying we should agree with the sacrifice coz it’s the lesser of two evils?” Laura asks incredulously.

“I’m saying, you asked me why _I_ do the ritual. Forever is a long time to be immortal. The gates of Hell remaining closed means the spontaneity and chaos created by free will keep me tickled.”

Laura clenches her jaw and crosses her arms. “How noble.”

“You want to talk _noble_? By delaying the ritual to spare your life… You risk losing the entire world you goodies keep claiming you want to save,” the Dean sneers.

Laura stares down at the floor, not having a reply ready.

 

The doorbell rings and she jumps to answer it.

“Saved by the bell?” the Dean asks, amused.

Laura turns to face her, voicing a decision she’d made even before she’d gone off to face the Dean in her cavern.

“If I haven’t found another way… When the time comes, you can go through with using me for the ritual.” She turns back around and heads downstairs, ignoring the smug look she receives.

 

The doorbell rings again before she opens the door to find a tall man toting a backpack with a relieved smile. “Hello, are you Laura Hollis?”

Laura hesitates.

“I need your help,” he continues. “I’m being hunted.”

Laura steps aside and lets him walk in. “By who?”

“It’s a Warlock,” he explains, sitting on the couch. “A Dragon Warlock.”

Laura sits next to him and raises an eyebrow. “Those are the warlocks that come from the union of a dragon and a sorceress, right?”

He nods. “Can you help me?” he asks desperately.

 

Before Laura can answer, a woman blinks before them with a cruel smirk. “Really? Hiding here? With her? That’s low, even for you.”

The warlock quickly pulls out an athame and whips it at them. Laura manages to push the guy out of the way, but the dagger’s blade grazes her and leaves a small gash on her arm.

Laura starts to yell an order to keep her from leaving or attacking again, but the warlock covers her ears. “Oh, _no_. I’m out of here,” she says, blinking out.

“Geez,” Laura sighs. “Guess word is getting out about me and my powers.”

“Yeah, you’re getting to be kind of a big deal,” the guy says.

 

Orbs light up the room and Carmilla looks around, eyes wide. “Are you okay?” she asks, rushing to Laura’s side.

“Uhm…” Laura cocks her head to the side in confusion. “We just got attacked by a warlock. How’d you know?”

“Sensed you were in pain,” Carmilla says, healing Laura’s arm.

Laura stifles laughter. “Carm… You sensed I got a minor cut and orbed out of a retreat for me?”

Carmilla pouts and crosses her arms. “I was worried.”

“I know you were. It’s sweet.” Laura giggles and gives her a peck on the cheek. “And cute.”

“I’m not cute,” Carmilla grumbles.

Laura rolls her eyes and grins. “Yeah, yeah, you’re a hard-bitten, badass whitelighter. I’m sure using me as an excuse to leave the retreat came off as _super_ tough.”

“I wasn’t using you as an excuse,” Carmilla says quietly.

Laura’s face softens. “I know. I’m fine, Carm. Thank you.”

 

The guy clears his throat and they both look at him.

“Who is he?” Carmilla asks.

“My name’s Matt,” he greets brightly, sticking his hand out.

Carmilla stares at it. “Good for you.”

Laura snorts and swats at her. “Be nice.”

“I’ll be nice when I find out why Matty here is being chased by a warlock and almost got my girlfriend killed,” Carmilla snaps, narrowing her eyes.

Laura raises an eyebrow. “So you’re _lying_ , now,” she teases.

“I thought you were supposed to be vacuuming, not letting in strays,” Carmilla says, rolling her eyes.

 

“Oh, right! I left that in the atti––” Laura’s eyes widen and she coughs to cut herself off.

Carmilla’s mouth drops open. “You were in the attic alone… where _my Mother is_?”

Laura swallows hard and giggles nervously. “Just coz she wants to sacrifice me doesn’t mean she needs to stay in a dusty room…”

Matt nods. “Any half-decent hostess would––”

“Shut up,” Carmilla growls at him.

Laura frowns. “Look, we were just discussing that––”

 

“You _talked_ to her?” Carmilla shouts. “Have you _completely_ lost your mind?”

“I can talk to whoever I want to,” Laura states stiffly.

Carmilla huffs. “I’m not saying you can’t.”

“She was _talking_ to me, Carm. Explaining to me why she does the sacrifices. And, in her warped mind, it makes sense––”

Carmilla sits on the couch and shakes her head. “Laura, she twists words to manipulate people. It’s what she does.”

Laura clenches her jaw. “Are you saying I’m easily manipulated?”

“N-No! That’s not what I’m saying at all!” Carmilla sighs and runs a hand through her hair.

Laura frowns. She takes a seat next to Carmilla and nudges her shoulder with her own. “I don’t wanna fight, Carm. I-I just… I wish we knew everything would turn out okay, that’s all.”

“Wish granted.”

 

Carmilla and Laura look over to Matt, puzzled. “What?” Laura asks.

“I just granted your wish,” he says with an eager smile.

“Oh, hell,” Carmilla growls. “He’s a genie.”

 

White streams of light appear a couple feet away and swirl for a few seconds before a small elderly lady appears.

Laura furrows her eyebrows together. “Who are you?”

The lady, well in her 70s, blinks in confusion. “Holy Hufflepuff,” she rasps.

 

Carmilla frowns and pats Laura’s knee. “Wow, someone other than you uses that phrase.”

The old lady laughs heartily. “Oh, Carm. That’s not true. I’m still the only one that uses that phrase.”

Carmilla and Laura look at each other, eyes wide.

“Yes, hello!” the elderly lady greets happily. “I’m Laura. From your future.”

 

* * *

 

“Are we even sure that’s me?” Laura asks, hushed as she and Carmilla peek over from the kitchen doorway.

Future Laura glances around before reaching under the couch and pulling out what is apparently Laura’s secret stash of cookies. She opens the bag with a wide grin and grabs one, stuffing it in her mouth and lets out a happy moan.

Carmilla raises an eyebrow. “Oh, yeah. No resemblance at all.”

Laura huffs. “She could’ve at least asked first.”

“Someone should teach you some manners,” Carmilla teases, earning a light smack from Laura.

Future Laura offers the genie sitting beside her a cookie, which he eagerly takes as Laura and Carmilla return to the living room.

 

“Ah, so. This is when I accidentally made a wish to a genie, huh?” Future Laura asks, amused.

Laura frowns and crosses her arms. “Honest mistake.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Future Laura smirks. “ _Literally_.”

Laura rolls her eyes as Carmilla snorts. She looks at the genie, narrowing her eyes in a glare. “How did this happen?”

Matt laughs nervously. “You made a wish; I made it happen.”

“I didn’t make a wish!” Laura insists.

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “You… sorta did, cutie.”

Matt nods. “You said, ‘I wish we knew everything would turn out okay.’”

 

Laura gapes at him, opening and closing her mouth a few times. She finally presses her lips together with a huff.

Future Laura throws her head back in a laugh. “ _Now_ I get why Carm has always teased me. That bunched up face I make _is_ adorable.”

Laura looks over at her older self with an exasperated sigh. “You’re supposed to be here to let me know everything will be okay.”

Future Laura takes another cookie. “Yep, here I am.”

“So I don’t sacrifice myself?” Laura asks.

“No.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “So the gates of Hell open?”

“Nope.”

 

Carmilla and Laura share a confused look. “Then what do I do?”

“Not part of the wish,” Future Laura replies. “Your wish is to find out that everything works out. Me being here is proof of that.”

“There’s only two options!” Laura sighs exasperatedly. “Either I sacrifice myself and keep the gates of Hell closed, or I don’t sacrifice myself and the gates open.”

“ _Or_ … there could be a third option you haven't thought of yet,” Future Laura declares smugly.

Laura looks away from the older lady and over to Carmilla. “How have you not slapped my obnoxious face yet?”

Carmilla chuckles. “I won’t lie. It takes a lotta willpower, cupcake.”

Future Laura pretends to whisper. “She not-so-secretly finds it endearing,” she says with a wink.

“Well, now, that is just uncalled for,” Carmilla comments, feigning offense.

 

“Noted.” Laura giggles and looks over at Matt. “So why is the Dragon Warlock after you?”

“I was helping… Someone,” he says vaguely. “And their wishes got them on someone _else’s_ bad side. Someone powerful. So now he’s hunting me and the first Someone sent me to ask you for help or protection.”

“Could you be any _more_ vague?” Carmilla demands.

The genie sighs. “Look, if I tell you any names, it’ll just drag you into this mess with me. And I don’t want that to happen to your charge. She seems like a good kid.”

 

Laura nods slowly. “Fine. I’ll help you with the warlock. And then we deal with…” She gestures at her future self. “… _this_ mess.”

The older lady looks mildly offended. “Speak for yourself.” She pauses. “Which, I guess you are. But you’re also insulting yourself, just so you know.”

“Whatever,” Laura grumbles.

 

“So how do you wanna do this, buttercup?” Carmilla asks.

Laura looks over to Matt. “Do I get three wishes?”

He nods.

“Then I’ll use one when we’re ready to bait her here. Just lemme get one of LaF’s potions.”

 

Laura heads upstairs to rummage through the sack of the house’s supplies of the bottles when she hears footsteps slowly approach.

“Huh. I almost forgot I had a bedroom here for a bit,” Future Laura comments. “We only had it for, what? A month?”

Laura continues her search, not bothering to turn. “And yet you still remembered the cookie stash.”

“Ah, well. Some things don’t change,” Future Laura replies, laughing when that gets a reaction from Laura. “And maybe I only started eating those because back when I was your age, that’s what I saw Future Me do.”

“Is that the truth?” Laura asks, finally finding the potion and heading out the door.

Future Laura shrugs and winks. “You’ll just have to find out, won’t you?”

Laura lets out an exasperated sigh. “ _Man_ , I’m a pain in the ass.”

 

Future Laura giggles.

“ _You know, you left the vacuum cleaner in here,_ ” a voice calls as they pass the stairway to the attic.

The older lady lights up and is up the stairs before Laura can stop her.

“Lily!” Future Laura squeals as she makes it into the attic. “I forgot you were up here!”

The Dean quirks an eyebrow at the old woman. “Do I know you?”

Future Laura pauses, seeing the crystal cage around the Dean. “Oh. I guess this is before we became anywhere near amicable.”

Laura hovers in the doorway. “Me and the Dean, _amicable_?”

The Dean lets out a short laugh. “Did you actually summon your future self here?”

“Not on purpose!” Laura squeaks. “This guy walked in and I didn’t know he was a genie and I made a wish…”

“Oh, so your head is emptier than I thought,” the Dean comments, earning a pout from Laura. “And if this is you in the future, why are you referring to me as _Lily_?”

 

Laura looks over with a shrug.

“Let’s just say… this is one of the instances in which everything turns out okay,” Future Laura says vaguely, heading back down the stairs.

“Your name is Lily?” Laura asks.

The Dean crosses her arms. “Lilita Morgan. No one gets to call me _Lily_ ,” she growls.

Laura holds her hands up in surrender. “Alright, alright. Noted.” She starts to head out the door but turns to look back. “ _Lily_.”

She hears the Dean hurl a book into the crystal cage as Laura goes downstairs. “You’re lucky I’m stuck in here!”

 

Laura makes it to the living room and Carmilla frowns. “What was Mother hollering about?”

Future Laura snorts. “We called her ‘Lily.’”

Carmilla sucks in a breath. “Suicidal creampuffs, the both of you.”

“Like I said… some things never change,” Future Laura says, giving her younger self a wink and a nudge.

“You’ve gotta be some big kahuna in the future,” Carmilla remarks. “She never lets just _anyone_ know her real name.”

Future Laura shrugs. “Guess you’re right and I’m not going to be ‘just anyone’ to her.”

 

Laura waits to see if any more nuggets of knowledge will come forth, but when it doesn’t, she holds the potion up. “Got it.”

Matt rubs his hands together. “Second wish time?”

 

Laura nods. “I wish the Dragon warlock who’s after you would appear in this living room.”

The wish is granted and she immediately blinks into view, confused.

“What the--”

“Hi,” Laura greets. She throws the potion at her and watches as the Dragon Warlock explodes while screaming in agony. “Bye.”

 

“Well, that was a bit anticlimactic,” Matt comments. “But the level of immense gratitude remains the same.”

“Hold that thought,” Laura smirks. “My third wish–– I wish for you whoever is chasing after you to stop.”

Matt smiles. “Thank you, Laura Hollis. You really are as amazing as they say you are.”

Laura giggles. “Darn, I’m out of wishes. My fourth wish would’ve been for you to tell me who’s the Someone that sent you to me earlier.”

“No need to waste a third wish on that,” he says nicely.

Laura raises an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.

“Matska Belmonde. Or, I believe you know her as Mattie?”

 

Carmilla’s mouth drops open. “Mattie? As in, my sister, the seer?”

Matt nods. “When everything started going south with the little mission I was helping her with, she told me to look for a Laura Hollis.” He gulps. “And then told me if she finds out I told you, she’d ‘beat me to a pulp and mix me with her orange juice.’ You’re not gonna…?”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Your secret is safe with me.”

“But why did she send you to Laura? I can think of a thousand other witches who could’ve help you, too,” Carmilla remarks.

Laura stares at her, offended.

“––By which I mean, Laura is an amazing, one-of-a-kind witch,” Carmilla quickly amends.

Laura huffs. “No hot cocoa for you tonight.”

 

Matt frowns. “She said that ‘Laura is the only witch she remotely trusts enough not to mess anything up royally.’ And that trusting Laura with her sister should speak volumes to that.”

Laura beams at Carmilla, who gives a small grin back.

“So, all your wishes are up. I should get going. Duty calls,” Matt says, seemingly hesitant to go. “Thank you so much for getting rid of that Dragon warlock.”

“Wait!” Laura calls, gesturing at her future self. “Why is she still here?”

Matt shrugs. “Just means your wish hasn’t played out, yet. Don’t know what to do. Sorry.” He disappears into the air and Laura sighs.

Future Laura wanders over, poking Laura in the arm. “Got any more cookies?”

 

Laura lets out an exasperated sigh and walks away towards the kitchen.

“Geez. What’s _my_ problem?” Future Laura asks, standing next to Carmilla.

“She can’t figure out why you’re still here if it’s obvious already that everything will be okay,” Carmilla replies.

Future Laura laughs. “I know that. I’m her, remember? I was just being… Well, I was _trying_ to be funny.”

Carmilla narrows her eyes at her playfully. “Didn’t stick the landing there, cupcake.” She furrows her eyebrows together. “Old Cupcake? Stale Cupcake?”

Future Laura bunches up her face and it’s as endearing as ever.

“Future Cupcake,” Carmilla amends, getting a nod of approval.

 

Footsteps are heard as Laura approaches them.

“If it’s any consolation, I still annoy the heck out of you in the time where I’m from. And we still look at each other like we want to strangle each other,” Future Laura comments.

“Guess I really am stuck with you, huh?” Carmilla asks, amused.

Future Laura nods. “For better or worse.”

 

Carmilla and Laura share a warm look, while Future Laura freezes and lets out a resigned sigh.

“Damn. I was really hoping to have at least one more cookie.”

Before Laura or Carmilla can ask what she means by that, lights swirl around her.

Future Laura waves at them. “Back in a mo’.”

She disappears from view and Carmilla steps forward as if not sure if she believes she’s really gone.

 

“That’s weird. Why did she disappear at that moment?” Carmilla asks.

Laura stands in shock for a few seconds before letting out a small chuckle. “Because now I know everything will be okay.”

“But we knew that already,” Carmilla says, confused.

Laura shakes her head. “I mean, I knew I would be okay just from seeing her coz, clearly the sacrifice doesn’t happen. And seeing her interact with the Dean just reinforced that. But there was still something I wasn’t sure would be okay.”

“What’s that?”

Laura gives a sheepish smile and a small shrug. “Us.”

Carmilla furrows her eyebrows together. “Laura…”

Laura's shoulders drop forward and she suddenly looks small and unsure.

 

“I can’t do this without you, Carm. And I know we haven’t been dating long, but whatever I feel towards you isn’t some stupid frothy thing. Every move I make, it just becomes more clear that… you’re the axis my world turns on.”

Carmilla gapes at her and doesn’t seem to be able to form words, so Laura babbles on.

“And seeing my future self say we’re still together, hearing that we’re gonna be okay… that was so, _so_ important to me.” Laura swallows hard and laughs nervously. “And now that I say it all loud, I guess it sounds stupid––”

Carmilla shakes her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I burnt down everything I’ve known for the past century and a half, for you. If it’s stupid, then we’re both guilty as charged.”

Laura squeals and pulls Carmilla in for a kiss. “We’re gonna be okay,” she whispers.

Carmilla nods, sniffling. “We’re gonna be okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so in love with Old Laura from the carnival date that I just HAD to use her one more time-- with a twist, hee hee  
> I know this update schedule has been kinda weird lately, and I apologize-- I've been trying to squeeze them in around this chemical engineering certification exam I've been studying for, and prepping for job interviews. After this one, it should be smooth sailing for a bit, though! Next update should be Wednesday :) Thanks for sticking with me!  
> As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Always a pleasure hearing from you guys!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	23. Parental Advisory

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When someone from J.P.'s past goes after Carmilla, Laura sidelines her and looks for help from an unwilling source. Carmilla is left on her own in a very awkward situation.

“I don’t see it,” Carmilla insists.

“Neither did I, at first,” Laura admits, stuffing popcorn in her mouth, growing agitated. “But I’m telling you, Fuffy is real! Faith and Buffy were meant to be!”

Carmilla snorts out a laugh and Laura slowly looks over, realizing dawning on her face.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” Laura huffs, eyes narrowed in a glare.

Carmilla nods, biting her lip and chuckling. “Laura, anyone with eyes or ears could see Faith had a thing for Buffy. And probably vice-versa.”

“Oh.” Laura giggles.

 

“Now, Swan Queen on the other hand… not seeing it,” Carmilla deadpans.

Laura’s mouth drops open and popcorn falls out of it as she gapes at Carmilla.

“ _Kidding_.”

Laura bunches up her face. “Carm! _So_ not funny!”

“It’s _kinda_ funny,” Carmilla says, smirking. “And by ‘kinda,’ I mean _very_.”

Laura pouts and grabs a fistful of popcorn, lobbing it into Carmilla’s face.

Carmilla scowls, narrows her eyes, and casually flips the entire bowl over into Laura’s lap.

“ _Carm_!” Laura squeaks.

 

Orbs light up the room and they freeze as Kirsch appears with Danny in tow.

Kirsch is the first to react and bursts out laughing. “What a waste of popcorn, bros!”

“She started it,” Laura grumbles.

Danny snickers, glancing at the paused Netflix episode. “Lemme guess. She doesn’t ship Fuffy.”

Carmilla lets out a snort. “Maybe those of us you’ve yelled at over your ships should form a support group, eh, cupcake?”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Bite me.”

“Maybe later,” Carmilla teases.

“As fun as watching this gross banter is,” Danny interrupts, “we just need to know if either of you guys have seen J.P.”

 

Carmilla and Laura shake their heads.

“Okay, well, if you do, can you tell him we’re looking for him or let us know?   He’s MIA,” Danny says.

Kirsch frowns. “No, he’s J.P., not Mia.”

The entire group stares at him in silence for a few seconds.

“Do you think if I kill my whitelighter, they’ll give me a new one?” Danny asks rhetorically, making Laura giggle.

“I-Is she serious?” Kirsch whimpers.

Danny rolls her eyes. “Come on, Kirsch. Back to the others.”

“If I orb you back, you won’t kill me?”

“I didn’t say that,” she says, her snicker fading away as they orb out.

 

Carmilla clicks her tongue. “Yikes. We’re about to have _two_ missing whitelighters,” she jokes.

“I wonder where J.P. is,” Laura says, standing up. “He’s always punctual and available.” She heads over to the kitchen. “Want any hot cocoa?”

“Yes,” Carmilla calls out. “And don’t skimp out on the marshmallows.”

Laura rolls her eyes. “Would a ‘please’ kill you?” she grumbles, loud enough for Carmilla to hear.

She starts getting the cups and the powder out while heating up the water. There are no more marshmallows in the pantry so she huffs and returns to the living room.

“Well, sadly enough, this household is devoid of marshmallows because _someone_ keeps putting excessive amounts in their––”

Laura frowns when she doesn’t see Carmilla sitting on the couch anymore. Her eyes travel to the floor slowly as her ears pick up groaning.

 

“ _Carm_!”

Carmilla is on the floor, an arrow jutting from her chest, inches away from her heart.

Laura drops to her side as she looks around for the attacker.

“Get out of here,” Carmilla mumbles, sweat beading her forehead. “He––”

Carmilla’s eyes widen and Laura barely moves in time as an arrow whizzes by her face, leaving a small cut on her face. Laura turns to face her attacker and her mouth drops open. “J.P.?”

He stands before her, clad entirely in a black suit, with a smirk foreign to Laura on that face. “Close enough. I’m Will. J.P.’s twin brother.”

“You’re a darklighter?” Laura asks, painfully aware of the arrow protruding from Carmilla’s chest.

A crossbow appears in his hands as he trains it on Laura. “Enough questions.”

“N-No…” Carmilla groans, clearly trying to push herself up to block Laura.

Laura swallows hard. “ _Put your crossbow down._ ”

His eyes widen as he drops it to the ground.

“Ah, Hell no. This is more than I signed up for. I’m outta here,” he says with a sigh as dark orbs surround him and he disappears.

 _I could get used to demons being instantly afraid of me,_ Laura quickly muses.

 

She pulls out her phone, frowning down at Carmilla. “Stay with me, Carm. Stay with me.”

“I think trying to say ‘please’ actually killed me,” Carmilla murmurs.

“You’re not gonna die,” Laura says, her voice wavering as the phone continues to ring.

Carmilla tries to focus on Laura’s face, but the pain wins out and blackness engulfs her vision.

 

* * *

 

 

“… _You’re trying to tell me your real whitelighter got killed and your fake whitelighter wanted to sacrifice you and you see nothing wrong with that?_ ” a man’s voice demands from another room, downstairs.

Carmilla cracks her eyes open, noting that there is still pain in her chest, but to a much more manageable extent.

“ _Well, yes, clearly there is something wrong with that. But she’s a_ good _fake whitelighter!_ ” Laura’s voice rings out.

Carmilla instinctively sits up, a pang shooting through her and making her yelp.

“Yikes, Elvira,” Danny’s voice says, hushed.

Carmilla hadn’t even realized she wasn’t alone in the bedroom. Danny is sitting by the window fiddling with the darklighter arrow, while Kirsch sits at the foot of the bed, healing Carmilla’s wound.

“I-Is she _here_?” the man demands, clearly having heard Carmilla’s cry. Laura’s reply is a bunch of high-pitched stammering.

 

“What the pointy hell is going on?” Carmilla growls.

“Quiet down,” Danny snaps. “Or he’s gonna––”

The door slams open right as Kirsch finishes healing Carmilla and the three jump in surprise.

“ _You_!” a stout bald man yells at Carmilla.

“ _Dad_!” Laura shouts, bursting into the room and running to block Carmilla from him.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “‘ _Dad_?’”

“Do we _really_ need to talk about the friends you’re making?” he asks Laura, exasperated. “It’s like the time you tried to befriend the endangered dragon your school was protecting and it gave you second degree burns!”

Laura frowns and crosses her arms. “How’d you even find out about Carm, anyway?”

He huffs, narrowing his eyes at Carmilla. “You remember Mrs. Kranksy, right?” Laura nods. “Her son Louis is a year behind than you in Magic School? One day I get a call at 3am on set and there’s a ‘Mr. Hollis, dude, your daughter’s making some crazy-ass vids.’ Talking about how you’re in line to be _sacrificed_ so the Gates of Hell don’t open, courtesy of your not-assigned whitelighter!”

 

Laura chances a look over her shoulder at Carmilla, who is obviously feeling uneasy.

“I-It’s not what it sounds like,” Laura says slowly. “Carmilla didn’t want to sacrifice me the _whole_ time she was lying to me a-and it was… the sacrifice is for a, uhm, a good cause…”

Her father glares down at her and she mumbles and trails off.

 

“Sir? I don’t mean to interrupt, but if J.P.’s twin Will kidnapped him or did something with him, we’re on a bit of a clock, here,” Danny says softly.

He sighs, glaring at Laura. “Fine, fine. Get going. But we’re not done here, young lady.”

Carmilla stands and her hand hovers over the small cut still on Laura’s cheek. It heals over within seconds and Carmilla smiles. “Let’s go, cupcake.”

Laura turns and shakes her head. “You and Kirsch stay here.”

“What? Why?” Carmilla asks.

“Because there’s a darklighter out there, who seems very keen on shooting J.P.’s friends,” Laura explains. “I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

Carmilla opens her mouth to protest, but Laura cuts her off with a shake of her head.

“Don’t make me use my powers on you,” Laura teases.

Carmilla narrows her eyes back and huffs with a pout.

 

Danny walks over from the window, wrapping Laura in a one-armed hug. “Tell me, Karnstein. Does it hurt? Not your arrow wound–– does it hurt being so _whipped._ ”

Laura elbows Danny in the side. “Be nice.”

Danny rolls her eyes. “Never let me have any fun,” she grumbles.

“Look, LaF and Perry are already scrying for J.P. at the house. We’ll go after Will and rescue J.P. and then everything will be fine and we can go back to watching Netflix,” Laura says to Carmilla. “Okay?”

“Sounds great to me,” Kirsch chimes in.

Carmilla and Laura stare at him. “Uhm, Kirsch…”

Danny interrupts Laura. “Kirsch, you’re not invited to watch Netflix with them.”

Kirsch pouts. “Not even if I bring my dude-scort bag of goodies?”

 

Carmilla stares at him, bewildered. “Did you ever think to ask the Wizard for a brain?”

Laura stifles a laugh and Danny covers his mouth before he can reply. “Kirsch, orb me and Laura back to the house, now. Thanks.”

He nods and orbs them out.

Carmilla suddenly becomes painfully aware that she is now alone with Laura’s father, who looks none too pleased with her.

“Uh, hi. Sir.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kirsch orbs away again once Laura promises to have him over one day for a Netflix hangout and Danny lets out a snort. “You’re too good to him.”

Laura shrugs. “What’s the harm?”

They walk into the kitchen, where LaF and Perry look worse for the wear.

“Anything?” Danny asks them.

LaF shakes their head. “The crystal isn’t strong enough, or my stupid _magic_ isn’t strong enough, or his favorite flashdrive we’re using isn’t strong enough or––”

Perry places her hand over theirs and gives it a squeeze. “Dear, it’ll––”

“What if Jeep’s dead?” LaF whispers in horror.

 

“No!” Laura shouts. “I’m sure he’s fine. I _know_ it.”

“Then why can’t we find him?” LaF shouts.

Laura swallows hard, having no answer.

“Okay, okay, let’s just… take a moment, okay?” Perry tries. “Maybe Will has a cloaking magic over wherever J.P. is.”

Laura pivots and walks out of the room on a hunch.

“Laura?” Perry calls as the group follows after her.

Laura heads straight upstairs to the attic and throws the door open.

 

“Do you know a darklighter named Will?”

The Dean doesn’t look up at Laura’s intrusion and stares boredly at her nails.

Laura stomps her foot in annoyance and steels herself. “ _Answer me, Lilita. Do you know a darklighter named Will?_ ”

The seer freezes for a moment, as if trying to resist the command, before sighing. “Yes. I’ve used him from time to time for some errands.”

“Would you be able to tell me where he is? Or where he’d be hiding a whitelighter?” Laura asks, relieved.

The Dean glances up, amused at Laura’s urgency and the pleading eyes of LaFontaine. “Finally come to reconnect with his twin brother, has he?”

“J.P. is missing,” Laura says, seeing LaF surge forward in her periphery as Danny grabs them to restrain them. “We need to know where he could be.”

The Dean looks back down with a shrug.

 

Laura huffs. “ _Tell us where Will is keeping J.P._ ” Her knees falter for a bit but she quickly returns to standing tall.

“I don’t know,” the Dean sighs. “Honest.”

Laura crosses her arms, realizing the loophole in her command. “ _Tell us where Will_ could be _keeping––_ ” Her legs give out at that and she crumples to the floor before Danny can get to her.

“Geez, Hollis, don’t push yourself too hard. We’ll find him another way.”

“I’m not some reservoir you can pump for information,” the Dean sighs.

 

“Let’s get her out of here,” Perry declares, helping Laura to her feet as she leans on Danny.

Laura shrugs them off and turns to face the Dean again. “He shot Carm!” she shouts. “And he might go after her again.”

The seer looks up at that, her blasé façade fading for a moment. “He did what?”

Laura nods. “He shot Carmilla and would’ve killed her if I wasn’t there. If you don’t tell me where I could find him, he could finish the job.”

 

The Dean seems pensive for a few moments. “You really care for Carmilla.”

“I do.”

“Why?” She shakes her head. “I mean, _how_? How did you get past her false pretenses and original goal of trying to sacrifice you?”

“She was a good girl who lost her way,” Laura replies easily. “It happens to whitelighters and witches all the time. Everyone deserves a second chance. And even in spite of losing Ell, she kept her compassion and ability to love and care, so who deserves a second chance more than her?”

 

Laura waits as the Dean continues to regard her carefully before letting out a sigh.

“Forget it. I don’t know _why_ I thought you gave a rat’s ass about Carm.”

She nods as Danny and Perry start to help her out of the room.

“You’re so… human,” the Dean notes. “You believe in people and you just keep trying to see the best in everyone, don’t you?” She shakes her head with a chuckle. “So human.”

Laura rolls her eyes and faces her again, expectant.

 

“I’ll tell you where he’s probably hiding your friend.”

 

* * *

 

 

“This is _so_ awkward, bros,” Kirsch laughs nervously as Papa Hollis continues to glare at Carmilla silently.

“Do you ever shut up?” Carmilla snaps.

“I’m going to my study,” Papa Hollis says stiffly, going to leave. “Try not to sacrifice my daughter while I’m gone.”

Carmilla shakes her head. “I’m trying to stop her from sacrificing herself! She’s the one who wants to go through with it,” she blurts out before she can think twice.

He hovers in the doorway before turning around, confused. “What?”

Carmilla stammers a bit. “I-I’m just saying… Look, I know we’re starting off on the wrong foot because, well, I wasn’t your daughter’s assigned whitelighter. And I lied to her for a while about everything. But almost as soon as I met her, and definitely after I got to know her, I had no intention of sacrificing her. When she found out her sacrifice would keep the gates of Hell closed, she wanted to do it, and I told her we would find another way.”

 

“That does… sound like her,” he admits slowly. He regards her carefully. “Wanting to risk it all to save people.”

Carmilla looks down at her hands quietly.

“I saw the way you two looked at each other. The way you went to heal her. The way you wanted to go with her even though a darklighter was involved.”

Carmilla swallows hard, unsure of what to say in response.

“You really care for Laura.”

She nods immediately at that. “With all my heart, sir.”

 

Kirsch squints up at the ceiling, as if hearing something. “D-Bear is calling for me. Be right back, dudes.” He orbs out, leaving them alone.

 

He pauses before letting out a long sigh and sitting on her computer chair. “I know I came off strongly before. But this is my job. Just… making sure that she is safe for as long as possible. Or, at least, it used to be.”

“Maybe we should lock her in a tower,” Carmilla comments.

He scoffs, a look of amusement in his eyes. “It’s a thought. Maybe something with really high walls.”

“Yeah, and like, a deep moat, maybe?”

He nods. “Yeah, and maybe one of those man-eating dragons to guard it. Do you think that would work?”

“Wouldn’t she just befriend it?” Carmilla asks, remembering the stories Danny told her, making him laugh.

 

“Sherman Hollis.” He holds out his hand for her to shake, which she does.

“Carmilla Karnstein.”

A thought occurs to him and he laughs. “Man, have you got your hands full with her.”

“You have no idea,” Carmilla deadpans. “The other day, she actually had a breath-holding competition with a merman. Tickled him trying to get him to lose.”

“Ah, that’s my stubborn girl,” he chuckles. “Her first year in Magic School, she insisted that they tame a Cerberus as a guard dog. When the school said no, she convinced her classmates to steal one and try to train it. It attacked half her classmates before she managed to get it to stop.”

Carmilla lets out a laugh at the image of a tiny Laura Hollis managing to talk down a large three-headed dog.

 

“Of course, now that I think about it… she used her powers on it, didn’t she?”

Carmilla licks her lips and meets his gaze. “Probably. She’s likely had powers her whole life and no one ever realized it since she entered Magic School late.”

He sighs and crosses his arms. “Her third year there, a demon broke into the school. Held her and some others hostage. From the accounts, she was able to get him to peacefully leave, even after he killed one of her classmates right in front of her.”

Carmilla’s mouth drops open.

“Does that…” He takes a deep breath. “Does that mean she used her powers on him and didn’t even think to tell him to harm himself, even after murdering someone?”

Carmilla nods slowly. “I think so.”

“You know, she once told me during a school break that she wishes all demons didn’t have to be vanquished? That unless they’re some mass-murdering, irredeemable being, she wishes they could just be let go with a warning after committing some malicious act?”

 

Carmilla sighs. “When she first found out about her powers, she was terrified to use them. And I thought I understood why, but I think I was barely scratching the surface of why she was so scared.”

Papa Hollis nods. “She’s very much into justice, but on a grand scale. She’s a strong believer in fairness, and free will. Her newfound power takes that way, and it makes her the judge, jury, and executioner. I’m honestly surprised she uses it at all.”

Carmilla takes this in and silence settles in for a few moments.

 

“Promise me you’ll look after her,” he eventually says softly.

Carmilla looks up, meeting his eyes. Where before there was a hardness and fierce protectiveness, she now only finds pleading.

“I can’t lose her like I lost her mother.”

Carmilla nods. _And I can’t lose her like I lost Ell_.

“I will do everything in my power to keep her safe,” Carmilla swears.

 

“But who’s going to keep _you_ safe?” a voice asks from the doorway.

 

* * *

 

 

“Laura! Slow down!” Perry calls after her as the smaller girl darts into the cavern after Kirsch has orbed them in.

Laura ignores her and rushes forward, removing J.P.’s gag. LaF is beside her in an instant, undoing the ropes binding him to the wall.

Danny stands guard to make sure there are no more surprises and to keep an eye out for Will.

“You okay, Jeep?” LaF asks.

He shakes his head. “This was a trap! A lure! Will is using me to distract you from the fact that he’s going after _Carmilla_.”

Laura’s eyes widen as J.P. is finally freed. “Crap! Orb me to my dad’s house! Now!”

  

* * *

 

 

“But who’s going to keep _you_ safe?” Will sneers, aiming his crossbow at Carmilla.

“I am,” Laura declares as J.P. orbs her in, and she tackles Will to the ground.

The crossbow scatters across the ground and disappears from view.

“Carm! _Orb out of here!_ ” Laura shouts as Will elbows her in the face.

Carmilla orbs out but then immediately reappears, looking smug that she found a loophole.

Will rolls away from Laura and the crossbow materializes in his hands. Without missing a beat, he fires an arrow and it embeds itself in Laura’s side. She screams out as her hand instinctively flies to her wound.

“Laura!” Carmilla yells out. She and Papa Hollis remain frozen in place, unsure of what to do.

 

Will spins and trains the crossbow on Carmilla.

“No!” Laura shouts. “ _Drop the crossbow and then don’t move a muscle._ ”

He groans and does as told.

Carmilla rushes to Laura, eyes filled with worry.

“I-I’m gonna pull the arrow out,” Laura gasps out. She takes a deep breath and shrieks as she yanks the arrow out in one motion, groaning as blood pools beneath her.

Carmilla quickly heals her and lets out a sigh of relief when the wound is completely closed. Papa Hollis looks like he’s about to faint.

 

“Thank you,” Laura murmurs, leaning her head against Carmilla’s shoulder.

“Keeping me busy, aren’t you?” Carmilla remarks.

Laura lets out a chuckle before pulling away. “I told you to orb out.”

“Yeah, and I did. And then I orbed right back in. Gonna have to be more specific next time.”

Laura rolls her eyes.

 

Kirsch orbs in with Danny. “The idiot orbed us into the kitchen instead of the bedroom,” Danny growls. She looks over at the immobile Will and crosses her arms. “Guess we missed all the excitement.”

 

J.P. slowly approaches Will, who remains planted in his spot as commanded.

“Why did you do all this?”

Will remains silent and Laura stands up with Carmilla assisting her.

“ _Tell us why you did all this_ ,” she orders.

He glares at her and speaks grudgingly. “The Dean ordered me to.”

Laura cocks her head to the side. “What?”

“She left me instructions that if she were to go missing, to take J.P.’s identity to my advantage and kidnap Laura Hollis for a ritual. I wasn’t expecting a live-in whitelighter and once it became clear this wasn’t a normal whitelighter-witch relationship, I decided to take her out so I could kidnap Laura without any complications.”

“Great job, there,” Danny snorts. “You’re not the brighter half of the twins, are you?”

 

Laura’s still leaning on Carmilla, who frowns. “Are you okay?”

“I went another round with your mother to find out where Will could be,” Laura replies.

Carmilla furrows her brows together in concern. “Laura…”

“I’m fine,” she insists.

 

Will frowns. “I suppose you’re gonna vanquish me, now.”

J.P. has an unreadable expression.

Laura regards him carefully before turning her attention back to Will. She snorts. “Actually, I think the Dean could use a roommate in the crystal cage. What do you think, J.P.?”

He nods, relieved. “That seems like a fair plan.”

 

Someone clears their throat behind them and Laura turns sheepishly.

“Laura Eileen Hollis,” Papa Hollis sighs. “I’m so, so proud of you.”

He surges forward and pulls her into a tight hug.

Laura hugs him back. “Thanks, da––”

He pulls away and shakes his head. “But watching you get shot by a darklighter was way too much for my fragile little old heart and I’m gonna go lie down now.”

Laura giggles as he trudges out of the room.

 

She kisses Carmilla on the cheek. “Hope he wasn’t too hard on you?”

Carmilla shrugs. “I think I grew on him.”

Laura beams at her. “I think I’m growing on your mom, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -rolls out Welcome mat for Papa Hollis and Will-  
> In case anyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop, I made the Dean slightly less _Evil™_ in this fic. She's just kinda doing whatever she can for her own amusement and to survive ;)  
>  Also I've changed it one last time to a Tuesday/Friday update schedule. So the next update should be Friday. Last change, I promise ^-^  
> If at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need clarification or elaboration on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! I love talking to y'all no matter where it is.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> As always, thanks for reading, and stay awesome!! <3 :D


	24. The First Rule of Fight Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a date at an ice hockey game, Laura and Carmilla see a player abducted, leading them to an unorthodox sports event. Another piece is added to Laura's mysterious puzzle of what's going on in the demonic world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me! Your comments make my day <3

Carmilla pokes Laura’s arm, leaning in close so she can be heard over the sounds in the arena. “So I was thinking after this game––”

“Shh!” Laura swats at her. “End of third period, no talking.”

“Cupcake, we’re winning”

Laura rolls her eyes. “ _Anything_ can happen, Carm. It’s only 2-1 and they’ve just pulled their goalie for the extra skater.”

Carmilla crosses her arms and pouts. “Well, if you’re so wrapped up in this game, then I’m opening your fortune cookie from the Chinese restaurant,” she grumbles. “’ _If you want to set someone free, give them back to themselves._ ’ What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

Laura lets out a squeak as the puck narrowly brushes their team’s post. The fans in the crowd are buzzing louder now.

The puck flies from the post into the boards, and a defenseman quickly grabs it.

“That’s him! That’s him, Carm!”

Carmilla’s pout fades into a grin as she watches Laura bounce in her seat.

“That’s my favorite player!”

Carmilla chuckles. “I see him, cutie.”

The defenseman takes the puck and breezes past other players through the neutral zone.

Laura shoots to her feet, as do other fans around them. “Oh my gosh! Breakaway! Breakaway!!”

“Great Kelly Clarkson song,” Carmilla comments.

Laura turns and narrows her eyes in a glare before turning her attention back to the ice.

The player dekes around the remaining opposing defenseman and fires the puck for an empty net goal, solidifying the win.

 

The arena erupts in a roar of cheers and Carmilla watches with a smile as Laura does the dorkiest dance, complete with a shuffle.

The game clock runs out the remaining ten seconds and the crowd begins to disperse following the Top 3 Player presentation.

Laura bounces in place as they make their way outside. “So what were you saying about after the game?”

Carmilla smirks. “Oh, you actually heard that? I wasn’t sure by the way I was so _rudely_ shushed.”

Laura blushes and smiles sheepishly. “Well, are you gonna tell me, or not? Coz––” Her mouth drops open.

“Ladies and gentlemen and everyone else, Laura Hollis not only catches demons, she also catches flies,” Carmilla teases.

Laura points across the parking lot. “It’s him! It’s my favorite player, Ovekane!” She tugs on Carmilla’s arm. “I wonder if I can get an autograph!”

 

Carmilla’s dragged several feet before they watch in confusion as a van pulls up to him and they stop short.

A dark figure peeks out of the side and there’s an obvious argument that ensues.

“Maybe this guy also wants an autograph,” Carmilla whispers as they duck behind a car, out of view.

The figure, dressed in black, grabs Ovekane by the arm. Before Laura can react, he gets dragged into the van. The doors close and it drives off.

Laura gasps. “Hey––”

Carmilla clamps her hand over Laura’s mouth. “Will you be quiet and use your brain for once, you suicidal cupcake?” she hisses.

Laura relents and Carmilla removes her hand.

“Look, we’ll find a way to track that van down,” Carmilla says when Laura pulls away, running a hand through her hair and paces. “I-I mean, I didn’t note any license plate or anything, but, uhm…”

 

Laura halts her pacing. “Can I test my power out on you for a second?”

Carmilla frowns. “Uh… sure.”

Laura pulls out her phone and types for a moment before watching Carmilla. A text alert pops up on Carmilla’s phone and she unlocks it. She quickly reads it, locks her phone, and orbs away.

A few minutes pass by before she returns, a box in her hand.

“Your chocolate chip cookies,” Carmilla says stiffly.

Laura’s eyes widen as she takes the box.

Carmilla seems to snap out of a trance. “Whoa. Did you just command me to do something via text?”

Laura’s mouth hangs open in shock as she nods slowly.

“Holy crap, cupcake. You really _are_ getting stronger.”

Laura looks sheepish and opens the box, offering a cookie to Carmilla.

“Why’d you test that out on me now, though?” she asks, taking the cookie and biting into it.

 

Laura pulls out her phone again, keeping a cookie between her teeth. Carmilla looks over Laura’s shoulder as she opens the Twitter app and goes to Ovekane’s profile. Laura opens the screen to send him a private message.

“ _If you are whoever took Ovekane just now from the parking lot in your white van, tell me where you’re taking him._ ”

She sends it and pockets her phone. “Guess it’s just a waiting game, now,” she says, eating her cookie.

They slowly walk back to Laura’s car and get in.

“So what were you saying about after the game?” Laura asks, mouth full of cookie.

Carmilla starts to answer, but Laura’s phone buzzes. She unlocks it and opens the direct message reply.

“It’s an office building downtown,” Laura says.

A second message pops up as they’re looking at the screen.

“ _How the hell did you make me do that?_ ”

Laura grins. “Guess they’ll have to wait and see,” she says, turning the engine on.

 

They arrive at the building within half an hour and Laura steps out of the car, double-checking the private message. “It says they’re on the 66th floor,” she reads out.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Kind of a stereotypical floor for a demonic operation, don’t you think?”

Laura giggles and they enter, getting into the elevator. Except when Laura looks at the keypad, there is no sixty-sixth floor.

In fact, the floors end at the thirty-fourth.

“Huh.” Carmilla frowns. “Maybe they lied in the message?”

Laura shrugs before something catches her eye. “Or maybe it’s the button labeled FR?”

Carmilla furrows her eyebrows together. “Where’s that?”

Laura points at the space above the thirty-fourth button.

“I-I don’t see anything…” Carmilla says, confused.

 

Laura stares at Carmilla, eyes wide. “You don’t see the button there?”

Carmilla shakes her head. “It must be cloaked from magic or something.”

“But why can I see it and you can’t?”

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a glare. “Gee, I don’t know, cupcake. Do you want to you ask it?” she asks sarcastically, gesturing at the space. “Hey, Mr. Button? Why can’t I see you?” she asks, her voice saccharine.

Laura pouts. “Meanie.” She presses the button that Carmilla can’t see, and the elevator shoots downward, as if plunging straight through the entirety of the Earth.

 

In a few instants, it halts with a sudden jerk and Laura lets out a yelp. The doors open and she slowly steps through, with Carmilla following.

The words “Fight Ring” are painted across the wall in a large font size.

“I guess that’s what FR stood for,” Laura whispers as they continue down the short hallway.

It leads to a roaring crowd, standing around a ring.

“Whoa,” Laura breathes.

The giant rocky walls are lined with torches, glowing to light the various upper-level demons cheering and hooting. Some feedback echoes through the area before a large demon steps into the ring, microphone in hand.

 

“Welcome to the Fight Ring!” he yells over the crowd. “For tonight’s match, we have a delight. We have a human phenomenon, the ice hockey player Ovekane!”

The crowd erupts into loud boos as a man with a sack over his head is shoved into the ring.

The announcer pulls it off, and Ovekane blinks at his surroundings, confused.

“Will he last through all the rounds?” the announcer sneers. “Or will he be tragically cut down in his prime? Find out tonight!

 

”No!” Laura shouts, darting forward before Carmilla can stop her.

The announcer perks up and squints to focus on her. “Oh? And who’s this?”

Laura pauses, realizing she hasn’t thought any of this through.

“Smells like a witch,” a demon beside her growls, grabbing her arm.

“How did you get in here?” the announce demands. “Only demons can see the button to ride down to this ring.”

Laura’s eyes widen.

The demon tightens his grip on her arm and she winces. “Answer.”

Laura narrows her eyes. “ _Let me go._ ”

The demon releases her, looking shocked.

 

“Oh, we have ourselves a witch with the power of persuasion,” the announcer says gleefully. “How exciting. We haven’t seen one of those in _ages_.”

Ovekane decides to seize the moment and runs from the middle of the ring, but bounces back when he hits the edge.

Laura frowns. “ _Let Ovekane go._ ”

He throws his head back in a laugh. “Your powers don’t work through the barrier surrounding the ring, girl.”

Laura swallows hard, trying to find another way to liberate the hockey player.

“Now, a trade, on the other hand…”

That’s the last thing Laura hears before she feels someone knock her out with a blow to the head and she loses consciousness.

 

* * *

 

Her eyes crack open to see the announcer smirking at her. She slowly looks around her, vaguely making out a concerned Carmilla at the ringside beside Ovekane.

“Could’ve just asked me,” Laura grumbles.

“And risk you using your powers on all the demons out there?” he shakes his head. “No. We’ve already seen how strong your mind is. I assume that’s why you could see the button around our cloaking magic.” He gives her a wicked grin. “But are you as strong physically?”

He steps back as both Carmilla and Ovekane are grabbed by demons and held in place.

“Your powers of persuasion do not work in the ring,” he warns Laura. “If you win, we let you and your friends go. If you die, they die, too.”

Laura swallows hard and looks over to Carmilla, who seems absolutely frustrated that she can’t do anything to help her.

The announcer nudges Laura. “Good luck,” he says mockingly.

 

He steps back and grins. “Round one of three,” he declares as a large maroon-colored demon steps into the ring.

“Fight to the death.”

A bell sounds and the demon lets out a roar, charging at Laura. She sidesteps and he flies past her, using the edge of the ring to bounce back at her, tackling her to the ground. He has her pinned and Laura hears a loud crackling and crumbling. She realizes that the ground beneath her is falling away, with a fiery pit opening up below.

Laura squeaks and brings her knee up, snapping it into the demon’s side. He growls in pain and his hold weakens, so Laura uses the opportunity to roll them over so she’s on top. She holds him down and the hole opens wider.

Laura times it so that she pushes herself up before the demon has time to do the same, and he falls, wailing into it.

 

There’s a stunned silence in the crowd as Laura meets Carmilla’s eyes. The whitelighter looks proud and winks back.

“Uhm. Wow. Okay,” the announcer stammers while the floor closes up again. “That was quick. And unexpected. Round two?”

A second demon steps into the ring. She’s petite and a dark green color, with claws and talons.

The bell sounds again and this demon doesn’t charge forth immediately. Instead, she circles and surveys Laura, making soft hissing sounds.

Even without powers, this demon moves quickly and swipes at Laura, drawing blood from her arm as Laura tries to spin away from her.

The demon whirls and quickly follows up with another attack, this time slashing Laura’s side. Laura gasps out but manages to grab her by the wrist and gives it a twist.

A snap echoes through the ring and the demon howls in pain, reacting by sweeping out Laura’s legs out from under her.

Laura lands on her back with a grunt as the floor opens up again.

“Laura! Get up! Get up!” Carmilla’s voice yells out from the crowd.

But Laura has a plan. If this demon has her beat in speed, then she was going to have to make that work for her.

She makes a show of readying herself to get up. The demon realizes this, so she leaps to pin Laura down as the hole expands. Laura pauses and then rolls as the demon lands, imitating her move of sweeping her feet.

The pit is still open and the demon yelps as she trips and falls–– straight into it, screaming the whole way down before the ground closes back up.

 

Laura slowly pushes herself up, clutching at her bleeding side.

The announcer huffs. “Crafty little witch.”

Carmilla is struggling against her captors more, trying to break free to get to Laura.

“Round three, final round,” the announcer continues.

A large demon enters the ring. He flicks his wrist and a large, pointed bone juts out from his arm. His fingernails are long and sharp and he towers at least three feet above Laura.

“Uhm, this doesn’t seem very fair,” she stammers, involuntarily taking a step back. ”Like, at all.”

The announcer smirks as the bell rings.

 

The demon snarls and surges forward, swiping at Laura, who narrowly dodges the attack. He swings his arm and knocks her onto the ground. She quickly scrambles back to her feet and barely parries another blow. Frustrated, he grabs Laura by the throat and squeezes, grinning cruelly when she gasps for air.

He flings her across the ring, cackling as he stalks across it after her, toying with her. The demon delivers a hard kick, which sends her rolling a few feet with a groan.

Laura lets out a hacking wheeze and slowly pushes herself back up. Her adversary snorts as he approaches her.

“Give it up, girl.” He punches her square in the face and elbows her in the torso before shoving her back down on the ground, smirking as she coughs and the hole appears by her once again. The crowd begins buzzing with excitement.

 

“ _STOP!_ ” a voice calls out, cutting through the noise.

A small elderly man hobbles in from the entrance, propped up with a cane.

“ _Cease this now! Help her up!_ ”

The demon immediately picks Laura up off the ground, holding her as she looks ready to collapse.

“ _Release her from this insanity this instant_ ,” the man shouts in a thick accent.

The announcer rolls his eyes but waves his hand, and the demon throws Laura out of the ring, watching as she lands right in front of Carmilla with a thud.

The old man walks past them and towards the ring, gesturing for the announcer to meet him at the ropes so they can speak.

 

Carmilla kneels at Laura’s side, working to heal her.

“Ugh, did I win?” Laura groans as her wounds start to close.

“Yes, all of these broken bones are the markings of a winner,” Carmilla comments dryly, her hands hovering by Laura’s torso. Her worried eyes betray her deadpanned remark.

Laura winces as Carmilla moves to deal with the bruises blossoming across her neck. “Not that I’m complaining, but if I lost, then why aren’t we dead?”

 

The announcer walks up to them, scowling. “You’re all free to go.”

Laura looks around, confused. “Where’s the little old guy? Who was he?”

“None of your concern. All you need to know is you can leave.”

“Really?” Laura asks, her confusion growing. “But…”

Carmilla helps Laura up. “No ‘but’s,’ cutie.”

They grab Ovekane, dragging him to the elevator.

 

When they finally make it back up and out of the building, Laura lets out a long sigh of relief.

“I wonder who he was,” Laura says. “That old dude had the same powers as me. But he must’ve been _way_ stronger, coz his powers cut through the barrier around the ring. And no one in that room even tried to mess with him.” Laura frowns. “I wish _I_ was that badass.”

“I dunno, cutie. You kicked some serious ass back there,” Carmilla comments, kissing her on the cheek.

Laura beams at her. “Dad had me in krav maga before Magic School and then made me take more defense classes once I went there.”

“Shocking,” Carmilla deadpans.

Laura grins. “So what were you saying about after the game?” she asks, making Carmilla laugh.

“I think this date is over. Next time, maybe.”

 

“We’re really gonna end it on another thing to add to our growing list of mysteries of whatever’s going on with the demonic world?” Laura pouts.

Carmilla shrugs. “You saved your favorite hockey player’s life, cupcake. Even if it was with the help of some enigmatic old guy. Tonight was excitement enough.” She gives the hockey player a pointed look.

 

Ovekane swallows hard. “Well, uhm… I have no idea what just happened, but I do know I owe you my life.”

Laura shrugs. “Uhm, it was no big deal.”

“Really. If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know,” he says sincerely.

Laura’s lips twitch upward and she grins. “’Anything?’”

He nods, serious.

 

Laura squeals. “Can I get an autograph?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one came a little late haha.   
> Next update should be Tuesday :) Thank you for reading!!  
> As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from you guys!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	25. The Collector

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's surprise for Carmilla hits a snag, but nothing holds back our little witch from going through with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Laura is Extra™ af

Laura unlocks her front door and smiles when she sees Carmilla exactly where she left her—lounging on the couch with a book.

“Your dad left for his gala. And Gumby stopped by,” she says without looking up. “Borrowed your copy of the Book of Shadows. Something about the science demony one spilling a potion on the page they need on their copy.”

Laura hums in response.

“And the Elders say they’re sending some more physically-adept witches out there to get rid of the fighting ring.”

Laura nods and drops off the groceries in the kitchen before she heads to her bedroom to change into pajamas. She opens her bedroom door and lets out a yelp when someone is standing in there.

“Laura?” Carmilla calls out, concerned.

Mattie stands before Laura, looking annoyed.

“Uhh, it's nothing,” Laura says immediately.

“You sure?”

Laura clears her throat. “Yup!”

 

She closes the bedroom door behind her. “A little more warning next time, please?”

Mattie rolls her eyes. “Whatever. You'd better be able to pull this off. I didn't tell you her birthday was coming, and help you set it all up, just for you to mess it up.”

Laura huffs. “I've got it handled, thank you very much.”

Mattie looks at her, unconvinced.

“ _I've got it handled_ ,” Laura insists.

“Fine,” Mattie snaps.

 

“By the way, what were you up to that the genie you sent to me was in so much danger?” Laura asks.

Mattie frowns. “What genie?”

“This genie named Matt told me that he was helping you with something and you both wound up in over your heads and it put his life in danger. He came to me for help,” Laura explains, puzzled.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mattie says sincerely. “I’m a survivor, just like Mother. I stay in my lane to stay alive.”

Laura frowns. “Uhm… okay.”

_Another piece to this vast puzzle._

 

Laura walks around Mattie and wrings her hands together nervously. “Well, anyway. Thank you. For telling me when Carm’s birthday is and for going along with my idea.”

Mattie shrugs. “Anything to make my lil sis happy.”

Laura grins and chances giving her a carefully playful nudge. “What a softie.”

Mattie brushes the spot Laura touched, wrinkling up her nose. “Tell anyone that, and I'll squish you like a grape.”

She teleports out and Laura lets out a sigh.

 

Yeah.

She has it handled.

 

* * *

 

 

Laura chews on the cookie she was unable to ignore at Starbucks, quickly shoving it in her mouth when her phone rings.

“Mmhmph?”

Carmilla’s chuckle rings through from the other end. “You're not gonna choke on a cookie and die on me, are you?”

Laura rolls her eyes and swallows. “Wouldn’t be a bad way to go.”

“Where are you, anyway?” Carmilla asks. “I orbed in and the house was horribly empty.”

“I'm out getting some stuff,” Laura replies vaguely.

“Wow. So specific,” Carmilla comments.

 

Laura giggles. “It's a surprise.”

“Well, I guess that means I'm gonna orb right to you to spoil it,” Carmilla teases.

Laura gasps. “Don't you dare!”

Carmilla’s laugh does nothing to ease her nerves.

“Don't make me use my powers on you!” Laura squeaks.

“Fine, fine,” Carmilla relents. “Are you gonna be home for lunch?”

Laura stops outside her destination. “Of course.”

“See you soon, cutie.”

The call ends and Laura steps into the shop.

 

It’s pretty empty, save for dozens of creepy clay figurines scattered around the store. She looks around for the owner. “Hello?”

“Hi,” a voice says from behind her.

Laura jumps and spins to see a handsome young man standing in the doorway to a side room and watches as he sheepishly closes the door.

“Sorry, didn't mean to startle you.”

Laura smiles at him and looks at his nametag. “No problem, Finn.”

 

He smiles back. “How may I help you?”

“I'm looking for a few sandalwood-scented candles,” Laura says. “All the ones in the big-name stores have ones that don't quite smell right. Apparently. And I asked around and supposedly yours are the best.”

He nods, proud. “Sure! I'll ring them up.”

Finn leads her to the front of the store and starts pulling out the candles. He keeps nervously looking at the back room as he packs them up. The bizarre figurines that seem to be staring at her don’t ease the tension.

“Is everything okay?” Laura asks.

He nods, clearly lying. “Will that be a—”

 

“Ah, and who is this?” an old man asks, coming from the same room Finn entered from. Whereas Finn looks like someone chiseled from perfection, this older man looks grotesque and monstrous.

 _Whoa. Cut the judgment, Hollis,_ Laura lectures herself.

“She's just buying candles,” Finn says quickly.

Laura frowns. _Something's wrong here…_

“You seem familiar,” the old man says, looking Laura over carefully. He’s fiddling with another figurine in his hands, but places it down as he approaches her. “I'd say you've come here before, but I would've remembered you…”

 

Laura swallows hard, every alarm in her mind going off. She hands her credit card over. “Sorry, I don't think I've ever met you before.”

Finn seems to be working hard to get Laura out and taps the counter. “Receipt?”

“No, thank you,” Laura says, taking her card back.

The old man grabs the card from her hand and reads the name. “Laura Hollis.” His eyes light up. “You're Eileen Hollis’s daughter.”

Laura swallows hard. “I, uh…”

Her eyes meet Finn’s and his are wide in horror. “Run!” he yells.

 

Laura makes it halfway through the store before she feels a sting in her back. The world spins and before she knows it, she's on the floor.

She gasps as she pushes herself up and looks around. Everything in the store has become much, much larger.

 _Or I've become smaller_.

A giant hand wraps around her and she's brought skyward until she's staring at the face of the old man.

“You're going to make a fine addition to my collection,” he sneers.

 

* * *

  

Carmilla huffs. Laura Hollis is a lot of things—annoying, stubborn, shrill, high strung, addicted to sugar—but tardy was not one of them.

It was 2pm, and lunch should've been at least an hour ago. And their phone call had been three hours ago. She had not answered her phone since.

Carmilla paces for a bit before sighing. “To hell with this surprise,” she grumbles. She senses for Laura and frowns. The signal she receives is much weaker than the usual one, but it's faint enough for her to make out.

She orbs into the alleyway beside the building. It was some odds and ends store, with a creep factor to the max.

_What are you doing here, cupcake?_

Carmilla tries to walk in, but the door is locked. She sighs, shrugs, and then orbs in to the main room of the store.

“Laura?” she calls softly. “Laura?”

There's a side room and a back room. She walks to the side room first.

The door opens easily enough, and she squints through the darkness. All she sees is a pile of clay and a firing kiln.

 

A noise from the other room startles her and she spins around, but doesn't see anyone.

She pulls out her phone and dials Laura. It rings twice, and then is answered.

“Laura, where are—”

A loud high-pitched ring squeals through and Carmilla winces, dropping the phone.

“May I help you?” an old man asks.

Carmilla frowns. “Have you seen a small blonde girl?

He smiles and shakes his head. “Sorry. We've been closed all day.” He cocks his head to the side. “How did you get in?”

Carmilla narrows her eyes at him and picks up her phone. “Do a better job of locking up your store,” she says, opening the door from the inside and leaving.

 

She walks a few buildings over before stopping. She senses for Laura again, and it still feels like she's inside that store.

Carmilla growls. _What would Laura do?_

_Something stupid, probably._

 

* * *

 

 

She orbs into the coven house, but it's empty.

“Gingers?” she calls out, poking her head into each room. When she’s confirmed that no one is around, she sighs and heads upstairs, finding her mother and Will in separate crystal cages. Will appears to be napping in his area, while the Dean is reading a book.

“Oh, hello, dear. What brings you here? You never call, you never write…” The Dean smirks. “And I know I’ve heard your voice downstairs. Why, even the whitelighter twin has been in here to visit his brother.”

 

Carmilla plops onto a chair. “Maybe I didn’t know what to say. Or maybe I didn’t want to hear what _you_ have to say.”

“And what do you think I would say that’s so horrible?” the Dean asks, amused.

“That I failed you and the ritual.”

The Dean frowns. “My glittering girl, why would you think I could ever call you a failure?”

“You’re not upset that I couldn’t hand Laura over as a sacrifice?” Carmilla asks, surprised.

“I’ve been stuck in here for over a month, no? It gives one perspective. Now that I’ve gotten to know her a bit, I do see the appeal. She’s got quite the fire and spirit. I know it’s a bit surprising, but I do have a fondness for you, and she and I seem to both want what’s best for you.” The Dean laughs. “Besides, the child seems amenable to being sacrificed when the time comes. So I simply have to wait it out until the time comes for the Gates to open.”

 

Carmilla leaps out of her chair and almost kicks a crystal out of the way, barely stopping herself in time. “You are _not_ sacrificing her.”

The Dean laughs, waving her hand dismissively. “Agree to disagree.”

Carmilla’s mouth drops open before she lets out a frustrated yell. “I can’t deal with this right now.”

“Yes, that brings me back to my original question. What brings you to my humble abode?”

Carmilla sighs. “Laura’s missing.”

The Dean quirks and eyebrow inquisitively.

 

“She was out at a store getting me some surprise and was late coming home. I orbed to where I sensed her, but when I went in, she was nowhere to be found.”

“So she went missing when she went to get you a birthday present,” the Dean comments.

Carmilla frowns. “W-What? No, I don’t think…” She furrows her eyebrows together. “You remember my birthday?”

The Dean nods. “Don’t look so surprised. You were always just so glum about it that I never bothered to celebrate it. But this year seems different, no?”

Carmilla swallows hard. It was true–– having Laura in her life made birthdays _feel_ different. As if it was okay to celebrate life.

She suddenly registers that her mother is still talking.

 

“What?”

The Dean snorts, amused. “ _I was saying_ , where was this store?”

“Some little odds and ends store,” Carmilla replies. “I think it was called Gammill’s––”

“Gammill? As in, The Collector, Gammill?”

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “The Collector’s name was Gammill?”

Will laughs, breaking his silence. “Oh, man. If your girl was taken by that crazy loon, she’s as good as dead. He probably used his wand to shrink her and already turned her into one of his figurines.”

Carmilla takes a shaky breath. “That’s why when I called her, all I got was a high pitched–– oh god, it was her talking––” She runs a hand through her hair, her breathing becoming erratic. “I failed her.”

 

The Dean rolls her eyes so far that Carmilla’s convinced they’ve left this dimension.

“For the love of all that is demonic, stop thinking you’re a failure,” the Dean snaps. “You didn’t fail me, and you haven’t failed that gnat–– at least, not yet. So stop panicking and get out there and save her.”

Carmilla looks at her, bewildered that she seems concerned with Laura’s well-being.

“You know, so I can _sacrifice_ _her_ ,” the Dean adds quickly.

Carmilla laughs dryly. “ _Sure_.”

“What are you waiting for? Your charge isn’t going to save herself,” the Dean demands. Carmilla smirks and orbs out.

 

* * *

  

“Where the hell is she?” Gammill yells at Finn, who shrugs. “If that damned woman hadn’t come in here, that girl would’ve been with the others already.”

“Her name is Laura,” Finn points out.

Gammill growls. “I don’t _care_ what her name is. And I didn’t _create_ _you_ to care, either.” He shoves Finn into the main room of the store. “Keep an eye out.”

Laura huffs. She had tried answering her phone–– which had also shrunk with her–– but Carmilla couldn’t hear her. Calling her name had proved useless, as well. And now here she was, hiding behind random objects on the table as Gammill scours the room.

“You little witch,” he snarls. “I was a human with a powerful wand. And I was so handsome that luring women for my collection was so easy. Then your mother comes along and curses me so I appeared as hideous as I was on the inside.” He sighs. “Did you know I made Finn in my likeness? It was the only way to lure in victims again.”

He walks over to the table and Laura struggles to keep from squeaking as he starts throwing objects off the table. She runs from a pencil holder to an abandoned coffee mug, dreadfully aware that she is rapidly running out of hiding spots.

Then she spots his wand across the table. An idea springs into her mind, but she needs a distraction.

 

Before she can plan any further, Gammill cranes his neck and spots her. “Ah ha!” He shoves the mug away, exposing her.

Just as he reaches out for her, orbs light up the room.

Carmilla appears and she sees Laura, and Gammill ready to snatch her up. “Stay away from her!”

He smiles cruelly and swings his hand backwards, knocking Laura off the table and soaring across the room. Laura smacks into the wall with a yelp and plummets to the floor.

Carmilla rushes over and scoops her carefully off the ground. “I’ve gotchu.” She darts out of the room and starts to head for the door when Laura tugs on Carmilla’s finger to get her attention.

 

“What?”

Laura points frantically back at the room.

“You want me to go back in there?” Carmilla asks incredulously. Laura nods. “Ya killin’ me, Hollis,” Carmilla grumbles as she checks to see if they’re being followed.

 

Someone grabs them and drags them into the side room behind the counter.

“Who the hell are you?” Carmilla demands, shielding Laura in her hands.

“I’m Finn. Gammill made me. And I may not be real, but I know what he’s doing is wrong. He needs to be stopped,” he rushes out.

Laura pops her head out of Carmilla’s clasped hands. She gestures a light bulb above her head.

“You have an idea no how to stop him?” Carmilla asks.

Laura nods and points at the back room again, this time gesticulating to have Gammill maintain eye contact with Carmilla.

“You want me to distract him?”

Finn perks up. “I think I can help, too.”

On their way out of the side room, he pauses and grabs a bag.

“Your purchases, Miss Hollis. Comes with a complementary lighter.”

Laura gives him a thumbs-up.

 

They reenter the back room to find Gammill putting objects back on his desk, grumbling.

“I, uh, caught the woman,” Finn says. “But lost the witch.”

Gammill turns, a glint in his eye. “Very well done, Finn. We can use her as bait to lure the witch back here.”

Finn nods, stepping away from Carmilla. Gammill approaches her, regarding her carefully. Finn waits until Gammill’s back is turned to him before stealthily releasing Laura on the table. Laura darts over to the wand, circling it before realizing her plan is stalled.

She runs back to Finn while Gammill is distracted, motioning for a lighter and pointing at the wand.

“Once she returns, I’ll use the wand on you, too. Then you can both be in my collection,” Gammill taunts Carmilla.

Finn slowly walks over inconspicuously and flicks the lighter, holding it near the wand. Laura holds it up and aims it at Gammill, who turns his head upon hearing the lighter, but it’s too late.

 

Electricity crackles and shoots out from the wand, slamming him in the chest.

He shrinks and Carmilla grabs him off the floor, putting him on the table near Laura and holding him in place.

“Got any further ideas now that the playing field is even, cutie?”

Laura nods, having come up with a spell, as well.

“ _Small of Mind,_

_Big of Woe,_

_The pain you caused,_

_You now will know!_ ”

 

Carmilla lets go and watches as Gammill explodes in a tiny puff. Lights shimmer around Laura and she squeaks, leaping off the table right as she returns to her normal size.

She lands to the floor less than gracefully, and Carmilla helps her up.

“Ugh, I’m never complaining about my height ever again,” Laura groans.

 

Carmilla chuckles before pulling her in for a hug. “I was so worried when I couldn’t find you.”

“Well, you found me. You just couldn’t see or hear me,” Laura points out, hugging Carmilla back.

Carmilla holds on for a few more seconds before slowly letting go. “Why would you even come in here?”

 

Laura freezes before huffing. “Can you wait a little bit longer?”

Carmilla smirks. “For what?”

“For a _surprise_ ,” Laura says, rolling her eyes. “Maybe check with the Elders to find out what to do with Finn?”

Carmilla nods reluctantly. “Fine, fine,” she relents, orbing out.

 

* * *

 

Carmilla orbs to Laura’s location, confused when they’re on a deserted beach as the sun is about to set. Laura has a small bag beside her and is staring off into the ocean.

“The Elders are setting Finn up so he can live a normal life,” Carmilla explains as she approaches Laura.

“That’s great,” Laura replies, grinning at Carmilla. “Are you ready for your birthday surprise?”

Carmilla nods shyly. “You… You didn’t have to do anything,” she mumbles.

Laura shrugs with a giggle. “I mean, Mattie teleported into my bedroom last week and was all, ‘ _Listen, you insignificant potato, next week is Carm’s birthday, and you’re the only person who’s ever made her happy about still being alive, so you’d better help her celebrate it_ ,’ and I was like, ‘ _duh, but I need some help coz Carm deserves the best_ ,’ and she agreed and here we are.”

 

Carmilla chuckles at her impression of Mattie before she cocks her head to the side, confused. “And why _are_ we here?”

Laura chews her lip nervously before pulling out a long flute with numerous finger holes. She places her fingertips on select holes and blows into it for a few seconds before stopping, looking around nervously.

Carmilla stares at her, amused. “If you were going to serenade me, I’m not sure you––”

 

A portal opens up next to them and a dragon twice the size of a horse flies out of it, soaring past them and circling in the sky a few times before swooping back down to the beach. It lands with a thud in front of Laura and stares at her flute inquisitively.

Laura meets its gaze for several seconds before it bows its head down. She does a giddy dance and climbs onto the dragon while Carmilla gawks at her from the sand.

“What the Smaug hell is this?”

Laura chuckles, holding onto the dragon’s mane and placing the bag in her lap. “Come on, Carm. Your chariot awaits.”

Carmilla frowns, still not moving.

“Carm, I’ll explain after you get on. I promise, it’s safe.”

Laura holds out her hand and Carmilla reluctantly accepts it, sitting behind Laura and wrapping her arms around her waist. The dragon takes off, flying lowly over the ocean.

 

“So Mattie shows up and tells me your birthday’s coming up. And immediately I had this whole plan, but I needed help,” Laura begins. “And I was all, ‘ _Mattie, can you get me a dragon?_ ’ and she was like, ‘ _no, you idiot, I can’t, but I can get you a way to summon one,_ ’ so she got me this nifty dragon whose breed is pretty hard to tame, but we figured out I can control it with my powers.”

Carmilla stares at her in shock. “You’re controlling this dragon right now?”

Laura nods sheepishly.

“Laura, that’s incredible,” Carmilla breathes out, giving Laura a kiss on the cheek.

“You haven’t seen anything, yet,” Laura giggles. She glances down at the dragon and it glides even lower. “Wanna touch the water?”

Carmilla grins and lets go of Laura with one arm still wrapped around her waist, reaching out with the other. Her hand grazes the cool water and she chuckles, withdrawing her hand.

 _I feel like a kid again_ , she thinks, staring in wonder at the girl in front of her.

 

“You good?” Laura asks, smiling when Carmilla nods against her back. The dragon picks up altitude again, aiming for a giant rocky formation.

It pulls up by a flat area, suitable for landing and sitting. Laura hops off and once again holds out her hand for Carmilla, who grins. “My, my. Such chivalry.”

Laura winks. “Only the best for my girl.”

She pulls the flute out and plays it again, with the notes in reverse. A portal opens up in the space above them. Laura pats the dragon on the head and it lets out a deep purr before taking off again, circling the sky a few times, and swooping back into the portal.

“Made it just in time,” Laura says, setting her bag down and beginning to unpack it.

 

“Just in time for what?”

Laura points out at their totally unobstructed view of a gorgeous sunset. Carmilla’s mouth drops open and Laura giggles as she pulls out a thick blanket and places it down on the ground. She gestures for Carmilla to sit, which she does.

Laura takes a seat beside her, handing her a box. “Open it,” she tells Carmilla.

Carmilla grins when she peers in. “Creampuffs, cupcakes, and cookies.”

Laura nods. “There’s an actual dinner Perry’s cooking for us, but that seemed too messy to eat here.”

They sit in silence, cuddled up against each other and softly munching on the pastries as the sun continues to set.

 

“I had a total meltdown when you went missing today,” Carmilla admits quietly, watching the sky’s colors bleed into the water. “I was a mess.”

Laura sighs. “Carm…”

“I went to my mother for the first time since you captured her.”

“Yikes. How’d _that_ go?” Laura winces.

Carmilla laughs dryly. “She told me to stop whining that I failed her and you and to go save you.”

Laura grins and turns her head, giving Carmilla a peck on the lips. “You’re not a failure, Carm. You’re amazing.”

Carmilla smiles back, tears welling up in her eyes.

The sun’s finished setting and the stars start to glitter into view. “Ah, and now for the main event,” Laura declares, emptying out the rest of the bag.

Carmilla chuckles. “The candles from the store.”

“Sandalwood-scented,” Laura replies, lighting them. “I know it’s your favorite scent, but Mattie said your favorite ones would come from that store.”

 

Carmilla scoffs. “ _She_ sent you there?”

“Yeah, except she didn’t know I was gonna get kidnapped,” Laura insists. “I called her while you were with the Elders to yell at her and she was all, ‘ _tsk, I expected better of you than to get captured, you bean. How hard is it to buy candles without ending up on a milk carton?_ ’”

Carmilla rolls her eyes, but grins at Laura’s on-point impression. She stares up into the night sky, sighing contentedly as the stars shimmer in the darkness. The waves quietly crashing below them just adds to a gentle, peaceful moment.

Laura slowly pulls out two champagne chutes and a bottle.

 

“Stargazing and champagne,” Laura presents, pouring them both some and holding hers out.

Carmilla swallows hard, bringing hers up to clink with Laura’s.

“How’d I do?” Laura asks slowly when they’ve both sipped, clearly nervous.

Carmilla stares at her in disbelief, unsure of how Laura could possibly doubt that this birthday celebration was anything short of amazing.

“Okay, okay, so I know the whole ‘getting kidnapped’ thing was a pain. And the dragon was scary and this rock was a weird place for Mattie to tell me about coz it’s where witches used to come to feel more connected to the stars, an-and the baked goods maybe weren’t perfect because I baked them instead of getting them from the store like I usually do, so I-I, okay, next year we don’t have to celebrate it coz––”

“–Okay, stop, stop!” Carmilla yells, turning and grabbing Laura by the shoulders. “Just, stop.”

 

Laura blinks at her in surprise.

“Laura, you…” Carmilla laughs, shaking her head. “You don’t get it, do you?”

Laura looks at her, confused.

Carmilla takes another couple of sips, trying to get her thoughts in order after her little outburst. The next bit had to be as perfect as possible.

 

Carmilla stares up into the sky, letting out a long exhale.

“I used to use hopelessness as an excuse for all of the awful things I did.” She huffs out a laugh. “Until this… prissy little overachiever with no powers barged into my life. Because she thought we all deserved better.” She looks back at Laura. “Hell, You summoned a dragon to fly us to a spot with a gorgeous view of the sunset and stars, and brought champagne, and baked me goods _and_ have plans for dinner, all while we’re surrounded by my favorite scented candles, which you got kidnapped while getting. All for my birthday.”

Laura swallows hard, confused by where this is going.

 

“I’ve had 384 birthdays, and I’ve never had one this utterly wonderful,” Carmilla whispers. “I’ve never felt like my life was worth celebrating before. But now, with you here with me, talking about how we’ll still be together next year… I’ve never envisioned a future like that for me.” She starts to say something about the sacrifice, but stops herself. For now, she just wants to bask in a moment where her girlfriend and her are celebrating their lives together.

Carmilla leans forward and captures Laura’s lips in a kiss, pulling her in deeper and deeper. They stay like this for a while, enjoying a slow kiss and being wrapped in each other’s embrace.

 

Laura eventually pulls away, taking a deep breath. “Happy birthday, Carm,” she says softly.

“We’ll find a way to get you to celebrate my 385th birthday with me,” Carmilla promises. “And a bunch of ones after that, too.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it feels like the mysteries are piling up, I promise they'll all be resolved lmao ;)  
> The next update should be Friday ^-^  
> If at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need clarification or elaboration on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love talking to y'all no matter where it is.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Thanks for reading and stay awesome!! <3 :D


	26. Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's haunted by nightmares, but she's not the only one not sleeping well-- tensions rise as sleep deprivation makes witches everywhere irate. While trying to broker a peace treaty, Carmilla unravels her Mother's latest plan for Laura. A new enemy starts making himself known.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which all the fluff gets sidelined for a bit to make room for the last big mystery/plot line of the fic. Thanks for sticking with me, y'all! Have a great weekend <3

“LAURA HOLLIS,” an omniscient voice bellows.

Laura’s in a dark cavern, lit dimly by torches on the wall. She jumps at the voice and looks around her. “W-Who’s there?”

“I AM, LOPHIIFORMES THAT WHICH YOU SEEK TO AVOID. THE GATES OF HELL WILL OPEN IF IT DOES NOT HAVE ITS SACRIFICE.”

Laura swallows hard. “You’re Lophiiformes?”

“ALL THAT YOU HOLD DEAR WILL BURN. DEATH WILL SPILL ONTO EARTH AND THE FLAMES WILL **SWALLOW IT WHOLE**.”

Laura covers her ears as the voice becomes louder and more insistent.

 

“ _Laura_ ,” a gentler voice calls in the distance.

“SURRENDER YOURSELF TO ME AND SAVE YOUR LOVED ONES.”

Laura winces at the booming command. She can feel herself being swayed towards giving in. It’s not as if she hasn’t had these thoughts herself, and hearing it echoing through her skull just makes it all the more convincing. She swallows hard, looking at the air around her, ready to submit.

Until the world comes rushing at her and she feels hands gripping her shoulder, shaking her.

 

“––Laura!”

She blinks against the figure in her face before realizing who it is standing beside her bed. “C-Carm?”

Carmilla lets out a sigh of relief. “You were shouting and flailing in your sleep,” she says, staring at Laura with concern.

Laura swallows hard.

“What the heck were you dreaming about?” Carmilla asks, sitting on the bed.

“It was weird,” Laura says shakily. “I-I’m not even sure it _was_ a dream.”

Carmilla frowns. “What else could it have been?”

 

Laura pauses, not having an answer ready. _In fact…_ “I don’t even remember it,” she says truthfully.

Carmilla’s frown deepens and she holds Laura’s hands in hers.

“Maybe all the tossing and turning sent it flying right out of my noggin?” Laura suggests lightly.

Carmilla chuckles and kisses her on the forehead. She doesn’t seem convinced, but doesn’t want to press. “Maybe.”

 

* * *

 

 

“You don’t remember any of it?” Danny asks, serving Laura a pancake from the stack Perry made.

Laura shakes her head. “It’s like, on the edge of my memory. But every time I try to recall it, it’s gone.”

Perry sets out a bowl of fruits and a container of syrup. “At least you’re dreaming,” she sighs. “Danny and I haven’t been sleeping well the last couple nights.”

“I’ve been sleeping fine,” LaF says with a mouth full of scrambled eggs.

Perry rolls her eyes. “Well, not all of us are half-demons that don’t dream.”

Carmilla looks surprised. “Demons don’t dream?”

Danny shakes her head, offering Kirsch bacon, which he eagerly takes. Her phone rings and she answers it, taking the call outside the room.

 

Laura and Perry yawn.

“I do believe I heard that the Charmed Ones once faced a demon who was killing sandmen and stealing their sand to cause chaos among humans,” J.P. points out.

“Sounds about right,” Danny says, walking back in. She sighs and puts her phone on the table. “Laura, I know you’ve seen her since graduating, but do the rest of you guys remember Mel?”

LaFontaine and Perry look at each other and shake their heads.

“Danny’s roommate from your last year at Magic School. Was on the nerdy side but she hung around with Danny and I enough to toughen her up and the Summer Society coven welcomed her with open arms after she graduated,” Laura offers.

Danny nods. “And the Summers have been feuding with the Pit coven for generations. Which our lovely classmate Elsie joined after graduating.”

“Oh, I remember her, now! Yikes,” Perry winces. “Mel and Elsie were rivals while they were in Magic School, already. As well as one of the most temperamental couples.”

“They _were_ fighting the last time I saw them,” Laura points out.

 

“Yeah, well, whatever sleep-deprivation thing is happening here, tensions are rising and there’s about to be a bloodbath over there,” Danny sighs. “I’m thinking after brunch a couple of us could head over and try to do some damage control.”

Laura raises her hand eagerly. “I wanna go! I wanna go!”

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Cut it out, cupcake. You’re making the rest of the witches look bad.”

LaF shrugs, grabbing another pancake. “I’m fine with her showing me up.”

“And this is why she was beating your grades in all of the courses except potions class, even though she was advanced for her year,” Perry sighs.

 

* * *

  

“Whoa,” Laura breathes as Danny pulls into the Summer Society driveway. There are pieces of the wall knocked out and shattered bricks cover the path. Windows on each floor of the house are broken and a tree branch is wedged in the doorway.

Carmilla lets out a whistle. “Love their décor.”

Danny sighs and gets out of the driver’s seat.

Mel comes out at the house of their car parking and stands in the front yard, arms crossed. “About time. I was starting to think you were just giving me lip service, Lawrence.”

She gestures for them to follow her into the house.

 

“Looking as tiny as ever, Hollis,” Mel says when they’ve settled in. “Think you could go over to the Armpit coven and use your powers to tell them to stop being morons?”

“I, uhm…” Laura shares an uneasy look with Danny and Carmilla. “I try not to use my powers unless I have to.”

Mel furrows her brows together and scoffs. “Are you stupid?” She stands, fists clenched. “You have the power of persuasion and you’re not using it?” Mel gets in Laura’s face, scowling. “What’s the point? What’s the point of having you around at all?”

 

Carmilla leaps from her seat. “Why don’t you back the Hell off, you oversized garbanzo bean?”

Mel regards Carmilla scornfully. “What, having Danny and the others protect you wasn’t enough? You need some fake disgraced guardian angel––”

“ _Shut your mouth,_ ” Laura commands.

Mel’s mouth clamps shut and her eyes widen.

 

“ _You_ asked _us_ to come here and help with this. You don’t get to give us your usual holier-than-thou attitude,” Laura snaps. “You wanna mock me and my conviction to not use my powers and bend free will, that’s fine. But don’t you _dare_ insult Carm over past mistakes. She’s more than that and you’re not worthy of judging her on them.”

Mel swallows hard.

“ _You may speak again_ ,” Laura orders. Carmilla snickers and attempts to cover it with a cough.

Mel’s mouth opens slowly. “Fair enough,” she says with slightly less venom.

Other witches from the coven have gathered around them, now wary of Laura.

“Any ideas on what to do?” Mel asks.

“What’s the whole story? You were kinda vague on the phone,” Danny points out, trying in vain not to smirk at Laura’s spunkiness.

 

Mel sighs. “The actual feud has been going on for generations, stemming from the fact that the Summers are more proactive, preventative, and warrior-like, and the Pit coven is more about helping clean up magical messes. Like we spent all those years in Magic School just to be Cleaners.”

One of the girls nearby makes a gagging sound and the other Summers laugh.

“Anyway, one of the girls was parking and hit our divide,” Mel says.

“She _claimed_ she was sleep-deprived, but–– come _on_! How does someone park on the wrong side of a wall?” one witch yells out.

A chorus of angry voices agrees with him.

“She was totally trying to sabotage us coz we were hunting the same demon as they were!” another witch shouts.

Carmilla’s mouth drops open. “Wait. The Pit coven is…”

“Next door,” Laura confirms with a nod. “The covens are neighbors and both are too stubborn to move.”

“Why should either of us move?” another witch demands. “If we eliminate them, we can own their home, too!”

 

“ _Anyway_ ,” Mel interrupts. “We ran out to yell, then they ran out to defend the driver. Things escalated and we started fighting, and then powers were being used. Elsie and I were able to separate the groups by pointing out we were exposing ourselves to the non-magical community, and that’s when I called Danny.”

Danny raises an eyebrow. “You and Elsie? You guys were at each others’ throats in Magic School when you weren’t dating. Unless you two have gotten back together since the phone call.”

Mel shakes her head. “No, but when your covens are at war, it gets pretty easy to put the petty stuff aside.”

 

“Oh! I have an idea!” Laura shouts excitedly. “How about you and Elsie meet alone, separate from the covens, and strike up some kind of truce?”

She looks around the room and the other witches seem okay with this.

“Okay, so why don’t Mel and Elsie go back to the house with Danny and Carm, and I can help fix up the coven houses as a neutral third party?” Laura offers.

Carmilla frowns. “I’m not sure my tiny orbs can teleport that giant.”

“Not with that attitude,” Laura teases, giggling at Danny’s annoyed grunt.

Carmilla smirks and makes a show out of stretching out her limbs before letting out a sharp exhale. “Okay. Let’s do this, Gumby.”

Danny rolls her eyes and places her hand on Carmilla’s shoulder, dramatically closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. “Make it so, Elvira.”

Carmila’s frown deepens before she orbs Danny and Mel out as Laura’s laugh fades away.

 

They orb to the house and Carmilla drops Mel off, going to the Pit coven house and waiting while Mel explains to Elsie over the phone what the plan is.

“Who’s this?” a witch asks Elsie when she hangs up the phone, gesturing at Carmilla.

“Someone who’s trying to help,” Elsie snaps. “Do you remember little Laura Hollis? From Magic School?”

The witch nods. “The psycho who almost got barbequed by the dragon?”

“Yeah. She’ll head over here in a bit and help with fixing up the front of the house. And whatever else got damaged in the fight.”

“Uh, okay?” the other witch says, obviously confused.

Carmilla does a mock salute and orbs out with Elsie.

 

“Hi,” Mel greets stiffly when they orb in.

“Hello.”

Elsie stares at her warily and there’s silence for a few seconds.

“Still wearing only tank tops, huh?” Elsie finally asks.

Mel cracks a smile. “Are you trying to take away my right to bear arms?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Elsie says with a smirk. She steps forward and they hug awkwardly.

“Geez, with the way this is going, it’s like you two are ex-girlfriends, or something,” Carmilla comments smugly.

They both freeze and pull away all too quickly.

 

Orbs light up the room and J.P. appears, looking pale and ready to pass out.

“Yikes, Jeep. What happened to you?” LaF asks.

J.P. swallows hard and takes a seat, trying to gather his thoughts. His eyes land on Elsie and Mel and his eyes wander. “A-Aren’t you two in the Summer Society and Pit covens?”

Mel and Elsie nod.

“What’s going on?” Danny asks.

“I need you guys to investigate something for me.” J.P. buries his face in his hands. “One of my charges is in the Summer Society. I went because I sensed she was in distress, but… when I got there…”

They all wait patiently for J.P. as he takes a few deep breaths.

“There was a massacre. They’re all dead.”

“ _What_?” Elsie shouts.

Mel’s mouth drops open. “And the Pit coven…?”

He shakes his head. “They’re all dead, too.”

 

Carmilla’s eyes widen. _Laura_. She orbs out immediately, totally unprepared for the scene she goes to.

Bodies are strewn about, lifeless and grotesquely scattered about the house. Carmilla covers her mouth in horror, slowly scouring the house, scanning for Laura. When she doesn’t find her, she orbs into the Pit coven house, only to turn up empty there, as well. All the victims seem to have different causes of death–– some were stabbed, some with broken necks, some with blunt head trauma.

 _What could have done all this_? Carmilla frets. _And where’s Laura?_

 

A familiar presence teleports in and lets out a surprised noise.

“Oh! Carm, what are you doing here?” Mattie asks.

Carmilla lets out a shaky breath. “Trying to find Laura.”

She manages to get out an explanation before she breaks down in sobs. Mattie hugs her and frowns. “Well, you’re not a very good whitelighter, are you?”

Carmilla wipes her tears. “What?”

 

“Sweetie… you’re her _whitelighter_. If she were dead, you’d be the first to know. You’d sense it. Or have you been so busy breaking whitelighter rules that you’ve forgotten the simple ones?”

Carmilla stares at Mattie. She had been so worried that it didn’t even occur to her that even if she couldn’t sense Laura’s location, she’d definitely know if she were dead. “Oh.”

Mattie lets out a chuckle and taps her on the nose. “Silly.”

Carmilla huffs and feels a bit embarrassed. “Anyway, what are you doing here?”

“Oh.” Mattie smirks. “Come with me. You’re going to want to hear this.”

 

They teleport into the Dean’s cave, where a demon is locked in a cage.

“Speak, Akstam,” Mattie commands. “Tell her what you told me.”

The raggedy, dirt-caked demon growls but otherwise won’t speak. Mattie rolls her eyes and presses a button a control panel on a nearby desk, and the entire cage lights up with electricity coursing through it. The demon yelps and gasps.

“Fine, fine,” he coughs out. “I’ll talk.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Mattie asks, her voice saccharine.

He glares at her but pushes himself up.

 

“The Dean hired me months ago. She said her glittering girl seemed to be dulling her shine,” he says, looking pointedly at Carmilla. “She told me she wanted a contingency plan–– a way to get this new sacrifice to turn herself in if you weren’t up to the job.”

Carmilla frowns. “She knew I might not go through with turning Laura in?”

“Carm, you’re a lot of things. Enigmatic to Mother and I isn’t one of them,” Mattie comments, teasing.

“She asked me to kill Laura’s sandman and use his sand on her,” the demon continues. “She would be so tired that her nightmare would scare her and weaken her.”

 

“I don’t get what this has to do with the dead covens,” Carmilla sighs.

Mattie scowls. “Well, this moron went around blabbing that he was on some super-special mission for Mother, including the details of it. So naturally, a stronger demon thought he could take over and receive the credit.”

“I killed her sandman this morning when she woke up. But this demon knocked me out and took the sand,” Akstam admits sheepishly. “By the time Matska found me, he had already used it on the covens who had been hunting him.”

“That’s why all their dead bodies had different causes of death,” Carmilla surmises.

He nods. “The sand brings nightmares to life, but they can only hurt the person dreaming it. I assume he went in, threw the sand at them, and watched their own worst nightmares tear them apart.”

 

Carmilla crosses her arms. “But where’s Laura?”

The demon looks confused and cocks his head to the side. “I just told you, he targeted the covens, not Laura.”

“But Laura was _with_ them,” Carmilla points out, growing more impatient by the second.

Akstam’s eyes widen and he actually snorts out a laugh. “Wait. _Wait_. You’re telling me that my mark _was_ affected by the sandman?” Carmilla and Mattie both stare at him, not amused. “Wow.”

 

Carmilla snarls and lunges forward, slamming her hands against the cage bars. “Where is she?”

Akstam shrugs. “Wherever her nightmare took her.”

Carmilla hits the bars again in anger.

“Whoa, whoa, okay. Calm down, Carm. Denting the new shiny cage I bought isn’t going to help you find your lover any faster,” Mattie says gently, tugging her away.

Carmilla’s phone rings and she frowns at the caller ID, answering the call. “What?” she snaps.

“Your Mother wants to talk to you,” Danny replies simply. “The door to the attic is locked, we aren’t able to get in, and J.P. and Kirsch can’t orb in. She says the only person who can get in is you.”

Carmilla’s eyebrows furrow together in confusion as the call ends.

“Go get find girl,” Mattie says softly, pressing a light kiss on Carmilla’s forehead. “I’ll deal with the Dusty Wonder over there.”

Carmilla gives her a hug and orbs out.

 

She appears in front of the attic door. Danny is in the stairwell behind her and jumps. “Geez, you startled me.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “You have the courage of a lion.”

“We’ll try to back you up if we can,” Danny says as Perry and LaF make their way to the staircase upon hearing Carmilla’s voice.

“Where are the other whitelighters?” Carmilla asks.

“Jeep was feeling down after losing his charge, so Kirsch took him to go hang out and cheer him up,” LaF replies.

Carmilla nods.

There are at least three voices coming from the other side of the door–– Carmilla can make out her mother’s, Laura’s, and a male voice that doesn’t belong to Will. _Must be the demon_.

She nods at the group behind her and holds her breath. The doorknob won’t turn, and she can’t orb into the attic, so she tries knocking on the door. “Laura? Are you in there?”

The chattering stops, but that’s the only sign she’s been heard.

“Cupcake? It’s me.”

 

The lock clicks and the door opens slowly on its own. Carmilla steps through hesitantly.

The Dean and Will are still in their crystal cages, and a demon is relaxing nearby on a chair. Laura is curled up on the floor, unconscious and surrounded by a black, hazy cloud. Carmilla’s eyes widen and she runs towards her, only to be thrown back a couple feet. She lands on the floor with a grunt and Will lets out a gleeful cackle.

“Great hang time,” he comments.

Carmilla ignores him as she pushes herself off the ground and glares at her mother. “What did you do to her?”

“Not a thing,” she replies indignantly. “She did this to herself. But at least now I know she won’t be going anywhere.”

The others slowly walk in, keeping their distance.

“Like Hell she did this to herself,” Danny growls.

 

The demon laughs. “This is her own worst nightmare coming true. With all of the chaos at the coven houses, all I gathered was that it’s something about a sacrifice.”

Carmilla frowns and looks down at Laura.

“How do you undo this?” Perry demands.

“How am I supposed to know?” the demon scoffs.

Carmilla frowns. “If she did this to herself… If this is _her_ nightmare, then the only person who can stop whatever’s happening to her, is her,” she comments.

Danny nods in agreement. “Okay, then––”

“Not so fast,” the demon taunts. He teleports from view. Before anyone can react, he appears in front of the witches with his sack of sand in hand. He grabs a handful and flings it in their face. “Now what are you going to do?”

 

There’s a pause before the effects become apparent. Danny suddenly shrinks so much that she’s barely visible. The entire attic becomes covered in filth, growing in intensity closer to Perry.

But LaF merely grins at the demon. “ _Now_ , I vanquish you. I’m half-demon, you ding-dong. And demons? They don’t dream.” They form a fireball in their hands and lob it at the surprised demon, who promptly erupts into flames and leaves a scorch mark on the floor.

 

Carmilla gives them a grateful smile before turning her attention back to Laura. She takes a deep breath and turns to LaF. “Okay. Okay. You start writing a spell to somehow make me able to communicate with Laura through her dream state. I’ll get some help for the other two.”

LaF nods as Carmilla orbs out.

 

She orbs behind a quiet club, and spots her two targets in a booth as soon as she enters.

J.P. perks up. “Oh, Carmilla! I did not think you were one to cheer up a fellow comrade––”

“I’m not,” Carmilla interrupts. “Or, uhm. Not right now…” She shakes her head. “Perry, Danny, and Laura are in trouble. A demon killed their sandman angel and used the sand against them. All their worst nightmares were made real in the attic, and they’re the only ones who can stop them. It’s what made all those witches die.”

Kirsch leaps to his feet, before promptly looking confused. “Wait, then how can we help?”

“Just because they’re the only ones who can get rid of their nightmares, doesn’t mean we can’t lend a little help,” Carmilla points out, turning her attention to J.P. “But I’ll have my hands full with Laura, so I figured having you two deal with your charges might snap you out of whatever funk you’re in. Doing good to make you feel good, and all that.”

J.P. smiles. “Miss Karnstein, you may not think you’re one to cheer up a fellow comrade, but you’re wrong.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes and turns to leave, smirking. “Tell anyone and I’ll shoot you with a darklighter arrow myself.”

 

The trio orbs back into the attic. Nothing’s really changed since Carmilla left.

Perry is furiously cleaning the attic to no avail, Danny is nowhere to be found, and Laura is still on the ground, shrouded in an ominous cloud.

LaF comes running back into the attic. “Oh, you got Kirsch and Jeep.”

Carmilla nods as the whitelighters scatter to help their charges. “Got my spell?”

They nod, putting down the bowl of potion and produce a paper. “It’s gonna be a sort of projection to send you to Laura’s dream plane.”

“Sounds great to me,” Carmilla comments.

LaF grins and clears their throat.

 

“ _Roses are red_

_Violets are blue_

_Carmilla’s mom is a pain in the ass_

_So send Carmilla to Laura’s dream land, too._ ”

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a playful glare as lights swirl around her and she disappears.

 

She reappears in a gloomy, dim world and takes a deep breath. Carmilla looks around her, but it seems like vast emptiness in every direction. It isn’t until she strains that she hears some chattering. She walks towards it, and it only takes a little while before there’s a flash of light.

Suddenly, Carmilla finds herself in a slightly altered version of the coven house’s living room. The furniture is arranged differently and the style seems slightly outdated.

A small Laura Hollis, clad in a ladybug costume, sits on the ground while clutching a large book against her.

“I’m not scared, I’m not scared, I’m not scared,” the tiny girl repeats against the book’s cover. Carmilla recognizes it as the coven’s Book of Shadows.

She steps closer and carefully nudges her shoulder. “Laura?”

 

The girl lets out a small “eep” and leaps to her feet. There’s a pause before little Laura’s face lights up with recognition. “Carm?”

She can’t be more than seven years old, with a front tooth missing.

Carmilla smiles. “Hi, cupcake.”

“Whatcha doing here?” Laura asks, tackling her in a hug.

Carmilla chuckles and gives her a small squeeze before kneeling down so they’re seeing eye-to-eye. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“I asked you first!” The girl bunches up her face in annoyance and it makes Carmilla chuckle again.

“Okay, okay. I came here to wake you up.”

 

Laura seems confused at that. “I don’t want to wake up.”

“Why not?”

“Because when I’m awake, we have scary things to deal with, like sacrifices, or demons, or my powers,” Laura answers, clutching the book closer. “Here, I don’t have to worry about anything. Even my mommy is here.”

 

Carmilla’s heart breaks at that. This must’ve been Laura at the age just before she lost her mother. If she focuses, she can hear a woman humming in the kitchen. The smell of cookies wafts through the air–– the same cookies Laura makes when she thinks Carmilla doesn’t notice she’s stressed out.

“ _Laura, sweetie, the cookies are almost ready!_ ” a warm voice calls out from the kitchen. “ _If we eat them fast, your father will never know how many we actually made._ ”

Laura giggles. “Okay, mommy!”

Carmilla takes Laura’s hands in hers. “Cupcake…”

“It’s not like I _chose_ to be here,” little Laura insists. “I remember being at the Summers’s house and suddenly all these monsters started appearing, and weird things were happening. Witches started dying. And this demon appeared and threw something in my face. And then…”

 

Laura’s eyes well up and she drops the book, diving forward and burying her face into Carmilla’s neck with a sob.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Carmilla holds her and pats her back until the tears have subsided.

Laura swallows hard. “My nightmare came true. Lophiiformes appeared in my head, its voice telling me that all my friends and you would be dead if I didn’t sacrifice myself to keep the gates of Hell closed. And I could just stay in this little happy bubble until it was time for me to die. Lophiiformes told me that if I agree to it, that you’d all be saved. That no one else would need to die for this for at least another twenty years.”

Carmilla shakes her head, her own eyes filling with tears as she squeezes Laura’s hands. “I can’t lose you. Not to some fake nightmare Lophiiformes, and not to the real one. We’ll find another way. But I need you to wake _up_.”

 

“ _The cookies are ready,_ ” the voice calls out from the kitchen.

 

“Laura, you haven’t actually agreed with Lophiiformes to go into this bubble. It’s just a nightmare,” Carmilla says softly.

Little Laura’s eyes widen. “It’s just… a dream?” she realizes slowly. “It’s just a dream?”

Carmilla looks puzzled. “Well… _yeah_. The demon that threw the sand in your face just made your nightmare come true, but not _real_. If you can conquer your fear, this will all be over. But only you can do that.”

“My fear?” Laura asks, scared.

“I don’t know what is, but I can help you face it,” Carmilla promises.

 

Laura nods, the determination and strength visibly returning. “I’ve been having this nightmare for weeks,” she admits. “And it all starts because we ran out of time to find a suitable replacement. We didn’t try hard enough. I guess that means I’m afraid any fight we put up will be for nothing.”

“ _If you don’t come in here soon, young lady, I’m going to have to eat all these cookies by myself…_ ”

There’s a pause as Laura turns her head towards the voice, clearly struggling not to run towards it.

“Which just means…”Laura closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. “When I wake up, we’ll have to try super, _extra_ hard, won’t we, Carm?”

Carmilla grins. “I will if you will, cutie.”

Laura leans forward and kisses her on the cheek. “Thank you.”

 

There’s a giant flash of light and Carmilla finds herself on the floor, opening her eyes slowly to find the gang staring at her.

“Welcome back,” LaF greets.

There’s a groan on the other side of the room and Laura sits up, no longer shrouded in a cloud. Carmilla rushes past the others and pulls Laura into a hug.

“Dang, now I really want my mom’s cookies,” Laura says, laughing lightly.

Carmilla narrows her eyes in a playful glare. “Ya killin’ me, Hollis.”

 

“I cannot believe all of you managed to face your fears in your nightmares,” the Dean growls.

Laura raises an eyebrow. “Who else was affected by the sand?”

Danny and Perry raise their hands.

“LaFontaine and J.P. helped me snap out of it by helping me clean to show me I don’t have to be such a control freak about it if I ask others to lend a hand,” Perry explains.

“And I shrunk and turned invisible because I’m afraid of no one seeing me,” Danny says, “but Kirsch always sees me.”

He nods eagerly. “You betcha, D-bear.”

She rolls her eyes. “Him listening to me is a _whole_ other thing.”

 

“What was your worst nightmare, Laura?” J.P. asks.

Laura smiles at Carmilla. “Not trying hard enough. But there’s always a way, and I’ll find it. _We’ll_ find it.”

 

Mel knocks on the doorframe, waiting for the others to notice her presence.

“So… something weird just happened downstairs…”

“What is it?” Laura asks.

Mel walks in, looking confused. “Some old dude showed up at the door and promised us safety and protection if we joined his ranks. He’s got some army he’s been building for a while, apparently? Said they even have some special suits that can protect against fireballs and energy balls. Elsie went with him coz she was scared after, y’know, us losing our covens and everything, but I figured I’d stick it out with you guys.”

 

“What’d he look like?” Laura asks.

“I dunno, just your typical balding old guy with a cane and accent.”

Laura’s eyes widen and she looks at Carmilla. “That sounds like the guy that showed up at the fight ring who has the same powers as me!”

Danny furrows her eyebrows together. “Did he say his name?”

Mel nods. “His name was Vordenberg. He said his army was called the Corvae.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Duhn duhn DUHNNN.  
> Next update should be Tuesday :) Thank you for reading!!  
> As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from you guys!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	27. Oh Crap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's plan to get answers is interrupted when chaos erupts at Magic School. When she goes missing, Carmilla tries to help her escape-- even when Laura believes she's not in any danger. The gang realizes they've underestimated Vordenberg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who's seen _Charmed_ , the visual for Magic School is the same here as it was on the show. For anyone that hasn't, try a mix of Hogwarts and the castle pre-curse from _Beauty and the Beast_.

“So, anyway, viewers–– rest assured, we’re still working on the whole ‘ _Lophiiformes, gates of Hell opening_ ’ thing,” Laura says to her camera. “And if you ever notice a mass of people not sleeping, it might be a dead sandman sitch. Also check the video description for details about the wake we’re having for the Summers and Pit covens.”

Laura swallows hard, willing the tears not to come. _All these people dead. Because of me._

“I’m sorry if any of you lost family or friends in that whole tragedy,” she continues. “I promise their deaths won’t be for nothing, and the Dean will answer for this. I’m going to head over to the house and get some answers from her today. Maybe it’ll all have something to do with that Vordenberg guy. If you guys know anything about him, please contact me.”

 

She ends the video and uploads it, making a mental note to add more details to their sandmen entry in the Book of Shadows.

Her phone rings and she answers it. “Hey, Danny.”

“Hey, Hollis.” There’s a pause and Laura realizes there’s an enormous commotion in the background. “How well do you remember the course on Not-Combatant Magical Creatures?”

“Pretty well,” Laura replies, trying to figure out where this is going.

 

There’s another pause and Laura hears a loud splash. “ _Jesus Christ! Will someone relocate some of the merpeople?_ ” Danny yells on the other end. “Sorry. Someone’s targeting a whole slew of these non-combatant creatures–– maybe that Vordenberg dude. Nymphs, leprechauns, mermaids, genies–– you name it. We’re hiding as many as we can in Magic School until we can figure it out, but we need more hands on board.”

“On my way,” Laura says, smacking at a napping Carmilla on the couch. “On _our_ way.”

Carmilla grumbles and pulls the blankets over her head.

 

* * *

 

 

“Daycare sure has changed since my day,” Carmilla comments as they orb into a chaotic Magic School lobby.

There are lines separating individuals by magical species, with signs pointing where to go. Nymphs bored waiting are creating endless piles of flower crowns. A stack of lamps and urns are flooding a box labeled “ _genies_.” Leprechauns are stacked on each other towards the end of their line, no doubt trying to see how far back they are.

“Do you think if I yank one out from the middle, I can make a fun game of Jenga?” Carmilla teases.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Be nice.”

 

“Hey, Laura! Love the videos. Keep them up!” a kid yells out as he rushes past her, heading for the potions lab.

She gives them a small wave and Carmilla smirks.

“’Oh! Laura! I’ve seen every episode of your vlogs! Will you autograph my breast for me?’” Carmilla mocks, pretending to swoon.

Laura giggles. “Shut up.”

 

Danny, looking slightly frazzled, notices them and runs over. “Great, great,” she says, leading them to an emptier corner. “Carmilla, whitelighters are out on acquisition detail. J.P. can tell you who still needs rescuing. Laura, I need you to help Perry and LaF with boosting the protection spell since you’re one of the more powerful spell-casters we’ve got.”

“And what are you going to be doing?” Carmilla asks, arms crossed. “Acting as the last remaining pillar if this place falls?”

Danny mocks laughter. “No, smartass, I’m helping with the lines here.”

“Laura’s the only one allowed to compliment my ass,” Carmilla replies.

“Right now, Laura wants your nice, leather-clad ass to do what Danny told you to do,” Laura says, giving her a quick peck on the lips.

Carmilla does an overdramatic salute and walks to where J.P. is holding a clipboard.

 

“You remember where the school’s protection spell is based, right?” Danny asks, already knowing the answer.

“In the library,” Laura says, already walking away.

The library is a bit of its own character, often pranking students by hiding books, or dropping them on those asleep at their tables while studying. One time its screens flashed, “ _Get out!_ ” to a group of students who were sneaking in on a dare late at night.

It must know that Laura is there to help protect the school, however, since it doesn’t do anything to her as she wanders the stacks. If anything, she reaches Perry and the others sooner than expected.

 

“Oh, hello, Laura,” Perry says, pausing the chanting. “Right on time!”

“We need you in the stacks for the next part of the protection spell,” Mel says, rotating a 3D blueprint hologram.

Clearly she’s diving into helping others to forget about the loss of her coven, but Laura doesn’t want to draw attention to it.

Mel points at a spot. “You’ll be by the children’s books.”

LaF lets out a snort. “Fitting, Hollis.”

“Ha. Ha,” Laura laughs sarcastically. She grabs a few white candles a few black candles, a couple red candles, and a green candle from the baskets on the table–– all labeled, so it was definitely arranged by Perry. She also takes an athame, a wand, a chalice, a small bottle of wine, and a small sack of herbs. Laura puts it all in a small backpack that Mel hands her and heads towards the children’s section.

She passes by a few other witches, including Natalie from the elder care facility, and exchanges quick pleasantries before she finally reaches her destination.

 

By then, the witches have all resumed chanting, and Laura begins to set up the spell. The chant is drilled into all Magic School students as soon as they begin attending. In fact, that’s how Laura learned that her spell-casting was stronger than the average witch–– most first-timers are only capable of casting it on a small section of Magic School. But little seven-year-old Laura Hollis managed to get her spell across half the school, when others could only get up to a few small rooms.

 

She starts to cite the chant when a book falls off the shelf behind her. She’s not sure what it is that compels her to do so, but Laura turns around to look down at it.

That’s the last thing she remembers before everything goes black.

 

* * *

 

 

Carmilla orbs back into Magic School, soaked from head to toe.

“One humanoid lively piece of sushi, delivered,” she says to J.P. flatly.

“And you dropped the merman off at the pool?” he asks, checking off the list.

She nods. “Well, it’s been real swell helping you all out, so if you don’t mind, I’m just gonna––”

“Nice try, Miss Karnstein. There’s a nymph wandering around Central Park you need to obtain.”

Perry’s rapid footsteps approach them and she looks absolutely frantic and harried. “There’s, uhm… Well, something’s…”

“Miss Perry, what is the matter?” J.P. asks calmly.

“Laura’s gone missing,” Perry blurts out.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “ _What?_ ”

Perry wrings her hands together nervously. “We realized her section of the spell hadn’t gone up for quite some time, and when I went to where she should’ve been, she wasn’t there. The candles were all lit and ready to go, but she had vanished.”

 

Carmilla closes her eyes and tries to sense for Laura. “All I’m getting is that she’s in Magic School,” she growls.

“I already have LaFontaine scrying for her and the others are searching the stacks but that could take some time,” Perry sighs.

Carmilla brushes past her and heads for the stacks herself. _Where are you, Laura_?

 

* * *

 

 

Laura groans as she sits up, her head pounding. She gradually realizes she’s in the middle of a forest at night.

“Oh, my. Dear, are you okay?” a voice asks from behind her, footsteps crunching on leaves as a middle aged woman approaches Laura.

“I think so. Where am I?” Laura asks, regarding her warily.

The old woman cocks her head to the side, puzzled. “You’re in a forest near my home. Would you like to go there to rest for the night until you can get your bearings?”

_Something feels off._

Laura nods slowly. “Yes, please.”

The woman seems satisfied and begins leading her through the trees. “Do you know who you are?”

“I didn’t lose my memory,” Laura says carefully. “I’m just not sure how I got here.”

“Okay,” she replies, chuckling politely. “Maybe a good night’s sleep will fix that.”

 

The cottage is only a ten-minute walk from where she found Laura, and within half an hour, Laura finds herself eating some delicious stew. “Tastes great! What’s in it?”

“The tender meat of children,” the woman states.

Laura’s eyes widen.

“Oh, darling! I’m teasing–– it’s just some beef from the cattle my granddaughter’s family owns. She just dropped it off earlier,” the lady says, throwing her head back in laughter.

Laura giggles nervously, still unnerved. She finishes the stew quickly after that.

 

The woman shows Laura to her room and bids her goodnight. Laura carefully settles in, unable to ignore the sense that _something_ is off as she closes her eyes.

 _Maybe Carm’s general disdain for people is just rubbing off on me_.

After all, the woman seems perfectly lovely. If anything, she comes off as desperately lonely, and hungry for company.

Laura feels a presence and her eyes snap open. The woman is reaching out for her, but she’s no longer middle-aged.

Instead, she’s transforming into a wolf.

 

“I haven’t had someone to snack on in _ages_ ,” she sneers. “And here you are, dropped off not ten minutes from my home!”

Laura yelps and rolls out of the other side of the bed. “You’re a werewolf?” She stares out the window. “But the moon isn’t anywhere near full yet!”

The half-woman, half-wolf cackles. “Oh, darling. You really have no idea where you are, do you?”

“Nope,” Laura admits. “But I know I’m getting the heck out of here.” She turns and runs out the door, slamming it closed behind her and propping a chair up against the knob. “Ah-ha!”

 

The woman pulls the door open.

 

“Oh, _crap_ ,” Laura groans, darting out the front door.

 

* * *

 

 

“She never even started the spell?” Carmilla demands, frowning at the still-lit candles.

LaF shakes their head. “All we found were all the ingredients laid out.”

“Oh, and this book,” Natalie volunteers, holding out a thick, red hardcover.

Carmilla frowns at the book. “Where was this?”

Perry points at the floor near a bookcase.

“Do books have a habit of just falling off the shelves?” Carmilla asks.

The three witches shake their heads.

Carmilla sighs and opens it carefully, only to find a detailed account of classic children’s fairly tales. A few lines on every page are accompanied by a moving picture that loops every few seconds.

 

“Seems like it would be a popular one,” Perry notes, looking over Carmilla’s shoulder. “I wonder why I’ve never seen it before.”

Carmilla shrugs and flips through a few more pages before getting bored. That is–– until one picture in the Red Riding Hood chapter catches her eye.

LaF gasps. “Holy moly, that looks… that looks like…”

Carmilla swallows hard as her grip on the book tightens. “Laura.”

 

* * *

 

 

Laura trips as she hears the wolf’s rapid approach behind her. She made a few attempts to call Carmilla for help, but it’s all been in vain, and her phone doesn’t have reception. At this point she’s just stumbling through trees and she has no idea which direction she’s headed.

She spots a building ahead and pauses, trying to decide if she should go towards it. A snapped branch behind her is the only indicator she needs as she darts forward. The front door is unlocked, so she thrusts herself in and closes it.

The building seems decorated for the holidays, but also appears abandoned. There are signs of slight neglect amidst the festive lights.

She spots the wolf outside, but it stops short when it sees the building. It growls lowly, but retreats into the darkness. Laura frowns.

“Can I help you, girl?” a tall Eastern European woman asks from another room, making Laura jump.

 

“Sorry, I just didn’t know anyone else was here, what with the… dust and the spiders and everything,” Laura says nervously.

The woman lets out a warm laugh. “Oh, don’t be silly. This is the Klaus Kuchen Haus, the most famous Christmas destination in all of Austria. We built it here after we had to leave the Pole. That unfortunate incident with the reindeer, you know.” She waves her hand dismissively. “But look at you, poor bird. Exhausted, all alone, so far from home! Let Mama whip you up a Christmas treat!”

Laura ignores the urge to point out it’s nowhere near Christmas. _Who am I to argue with someone who has dozens of gingerbread cookies lying around?_ “Yes, please, if it’s no trouble.”

 

The woman nods, satisfied, and heads into what Laura assumes is the kitchen.

Laura sighs, trying to figure out where she is. _I wish Carm were here_.

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Crap, I lost track of her as she ran from the wolf-grandma,” Carmilla groans. “Leave it to Laura to go through this book non-linearly.” She frantically flips through the book for any pictures of a small blonde.

“Wait! Go back. I saw her,” Danny yells out from behind Carmilla.

Carmilla goes back and frowns at the chapter title, which seems more dramatic and written in a different style than the others.

 _Mama Klaus_. Inside what looks like an abandoned diner are Laura and a large woman as they wait for some sweets to finish baking. Carmilla flips further into the chapter and her eyes widen. “Oh no.”

The book is magically adding pages and words before their eyes.

Perry’s mouth drops open. “Is there a way we can talk to her?”

Carmilla hands the book to LaFontaine before orbing off without a word.

 

J.P. frowns. “I do hope she’s not trying to orb into this book, because––”

Carmilla reappears a few minutes later with a quill in her hand.

“What’s that?” Kirsch laughs. “Did you pluck a chicken?”

Carmilla stares at him, dumbfounded. “No. It’s the quill that wrote _Beowulf_. It’s enchanted.” She pulls out a stack of paper. “And this is a stack of papers that was found by J.D. Salinger’s unpublished works. If you guys work on a way to get Laura out of there, I should be able to stall. Together, these objects should work.”

“To do what?” Perry asks.

 

* * *

 

 

“What’s the matter, sweet girl?” Mama Klaus asks, her voice gentle. “Would you like something else? Jellybeans or gumdrops? Chocolate cake or marzipan?”

Laura laughs softly. “No, that’s okay. This is wonderful. It’s just… I miss my girlfriend and friends.”

“Of course you do,” she says understandingly. “I miss all my little helpers. And my fat husband.”

Laura frowns. Mama Klaus had only just introduced herself, but she didn’t see any hint of a husband. “Did something happen to him?”

“Well, once the customers stopped coming, certain sacrifices had to be made,” she replies, gesturing at the empty space around them.

Laura’s frown deepens.

“But food can be such a comfort,” Mama Klaus quickly amends. “You just let the sugar and butter and the spice fill you up to the brim.”

Laura flashes her a nice, warm smile, trying not to look nervous. “Of course!”

Mama Klaus nods and goes to get the batch of gingerbread cookies she’s heated up in the oven.

 

Suddenly, Laura’s head starts ringing and she grabs it with a wince.

 _“LAURA, CAN YOU HEAR ME? IT’S CARMILLA,”_ Carmilla’s voice booms through her head.

“Ow! Yes, yes, I can hear you,” Laura says. “What the heck!”

“ _Sorry, I think I was writing too hard on this enchanted paper. It’s been a while since I wrote with a feather quill pen_.”

Laura rubs at the pounding headache. “How are you in my head? And what do you mean you’re writing with a quill pen?”

“ _Cupcake, you’re stuck in a book. The book was originally a children’s book, but it was spelled and meant to contain Mama Klaus. It was supposed to be placed in the special edition section of the library but there was a shelving mistake. You’d think after that demon you chased down in a bookstore, they’d learn to be more careful,_ ” Carmilla writes, adding another enchanted page to the book.

 

“Why would anyone want to capture Mama Klaus?” Laura asks, her voice hushed.

She can actually _feel_ the sigh from Carmilla as she picks up a gingerbread cookie from an earlier batch and takes a bite from it.

“ _You don’t think any of this is suspicious?_ ”

Laura cocks her head to the side, confused. “Any of what?”

“ _The magical treats? The angry wolf-grandma too scared to come in here, the gingerbread dioramas of doom?_ ” Carmilla’s sarcasm drips through.

Laura rolls her eyes and takes another bite of the cookie. “Puh-leez. She is literally Mama Klaus.”

“ _Ya killin’ me, Hollis._ ”

 

Mama Klaus walks in with a tray and places it in front of Laura. “What about me, dear?”

Laura plasters on a smile all too wide. “Nothing. Just admiring your name.”

“ _LAURA GET OUT OF THERE!_ ” Carmilla shouts to Laura.

Laura groans and grabs her head.

“Are you okay?” Mama Klaus asks. “Perhaps you should lie down. I have a room in the back ready.”

Laura nods as she’s led to the back.

“ _DO NOT GO IN THERE._ ”

 

Laura ignores Carmilla as Mama Klaus opens a door and gestures for Laura to go first. She starts to, but then pauses for a moment.

“Uhm, this room looks kinda…” _Bare? Small? Not like a room at all?_ Laura’s eyes widen as she realizes where she’s been led. _Like an oven_. “Oh, _crap_.”

“Why aren’t you going in, dear? You’re not well. Indulge yourself.”

Laura gulps, trying to go around Mama Klaus, who’s now backed Laura up with nowhere to go but the room-sized oven. “Uh, I’m just so worried about sleeping in new places, what with bed bugs and different brands of s-softener…”

“No need to worry about those things, my little Lebkuchen. My little Weinchten snack.”

Laura flinches. “Yeah… Just so we’re clear, you totally turn people into gingerbread and eat them, don’t you?”

Mama Klaus grabs Laura’s arm. “It’s been so long since Mama’s had a Christmas feast!”

_Great, she refers to herself in the third-person. Next she’s gonna tell me she named her oven ‘Lucy.’_

“I’ll roast you like those bastard reindeer!”

 

Mama Klaus’s grip tightens and she moves to shove Laura into the oven. Laura grits her teeth but returns the grip, holding onto Mama Klaus’s arm and bringing them both crashing onto the floor with a grunt.

Laura rolls her off and tries to get out of the room, but Mama Klaus’s hand clamps around her ankle and brings her right back down.

“Haha. Yep. Okay,” Laura laughs nervously, her ears ringing from the fall. She can feel some blood running down the side of her face. “Carmilla?”

Nothing happens and she groans.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Mama Klaus sneers.

Laura huffs. She’d gotten this far without using her powers, but clearly that was going to have to change. “ _Let go of me,_ ” she commands.

Mama Klaus lets go and watches in horror as Laura scrambles to her feet, running out of the oven and slamming the door closed behind her.

 

Lights swirl around Laura and her head spins before she refocuses and realizes she’s back in Magic School. “Oh, sure, _now_ you get me out of that book.”

“Didn’t want to ruin your fun,” Carmilla teases, walking Laura over to a chair.

“Maybe it’s the head trauma, but I’m not finding you very funny at the moment,” Laura snaps.

 

Carmilla chuckles and gets started on healing the gash on Laura’s forehead. “Don’t get mad at me. Get mad at whoever shelved that book incorrectly.”

“It wasn’t a shelving error,” Perry says as she and Danny enter the library with a laptop in hand.

“Or, at least, not an accidental one,” Danny clarifies. “Glad to see you’re back, Hollis.”

Laura gives a small wave.

“What are you two talking about?” Mel asks.

Perry sighs. “When Laura went missing and everyone went to search for her and subsequently rescue her, that took attention away from protecting the magic creatures seeking sanctuary here, as well as slowed down casting the protection spell over the school.”

“A few mermaids went missing, as well as a whole bunch of nymphs,” Danny elaborates. “The distraction worked.”

Laura looks horrified, and LaFontaine nods. “I had a hunch but I was working with Mel on a spell to get Laura out of the book, so I asked them to look into it.”

“Magic School installed security cameras after we graduated. The students don’t know. But the faculty also wanted to investigate LaF’s hunch,” Danny explains, turning the laptop. “Right before we came here today to help make Magic School a sanctuary, the cameras caught this.”

 

The video starts playing, showing someone entering the empty library with a book in hand. She places it on a shelf in the children’s book section, before holding out her hands. A few moments pass and the book glows. The culprit turns around and, oblivious to the camera’s presence, walks towards it to leave.

Mel’s mouth drops open. “Elsie.”

“Yeah, so we sent J.P. and Kirsch to go find her and get her,” Danny says with a sigh.

J.P. runs in, looking shaken and out of breath. “One of the witches used a truth spell on her.”

“And?” Mel asks, looking absolutely pissed off.

“She admitted to planting the book and spelling it to capture Laura and serve as a diversion,” he says. “And she says someone named Vordenberg commanded her to do it.”

 

Laura and Carmilla look at each other. Carmilla gives Laura’s shoulder a squeeze.

“I think that it’s time we start looking into this Vordenberg dude,” Laura says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next update should be Friday ^-^  
> If at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need clarification or elaboration on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please feel free to let me know in the comments below or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love talking to y'all no matter where it is.  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Thanks for reading! Stay awesome!! <3 :D


	28. Break On Through To The Other Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a new enemy on the horizon, the Dean gives Laura access to answers she's been looking for, as well as an idea of what the world could've been like with one change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're welcome for the answers. I'm sorry for the feels.

“I smell cookies,” the Dean says as Laura bumps the attic door open with her hip.

“Yeah, well, I figured even demon hostages that don’t _need_ to eat can also use some sweets,” Laura replies, balancing the three plates. She stands by the edge of the crystal cage and quickly picks up a crystal, putting the plate within the ring before replacing the crystal.

Will watches as Laura does the same with his cage.

“They’re fresh out of the oven,” Laura adds, settling in on the chair with her own plate.

The Dean warily takes a bite and chuckles. “I assume you didn’t just come up here to feed us,” she says, nodding for Will to eat a cookie.

“You’re lucky I haven’t let Mel come in here and get her revenge for you offing her coven and driving a wedge between her and her sometimes-girlfriend,” Laura points out.

 

“Now, now, that wasn’t all my fault,” the Dean replies. “How was I supposed to know some other demon would hijack the Sandman mission and execute it poorly? A plan which I had put into effect before I’d known you’d be a willing participant in the ritual when the time comes, by the way.”

Laura sighs. “Honestly? I just wanted to do something to ignore the dead ends we keep hitting while doing research.”

“So, we’re a distraction?” Will asks, snorting.

“Just eat your cookies,” Laura grumbles.

 

Footsteps ascend the stairs and Carmilla walks into the attic, pausing. “I was wondering where you went,” she comments, looking confusedly at her mother and Will. “Everything okay?”

“Yep!” Laura jumps from her chair with her answer too quickly, making Carmilla raise an eyebrow. “I just… we’ve been asking around the Underworld for days, and all we found is some unrelated weird slave trade for those mermaids and nymphs that went missing. No one could tell us who was behind what happened at Magic School. Nothing else.”

Carmilla frowns and pulls Laura into a hug. “Listen, you deflated creampuff. We’re gonna figure this out. I promise.” She kisses Laura on the forehead. “You might just be tired from using your power to interrogate those demons?”

Laura shrugs but leans into Carmilla. “Maybe.”

 

J.P. orbs into the attic before realizing where he’s ended up. He gives Will a small wave, wincing a bit when Will simply rolls his eyes and turns away.

“Ahem. Well,” he shifts uncomfortably, looking to Carmilla. “The Elders want us right away. Debriefing on this whole magic creatures mishap.”

“Oh, boy. Can’t wait to tell them all of the _nothing_ we’ve come up with,” Carmilla says dryly, making Laura giggle. She gives Laura a peck on the cheek and blows a sarcastic kiss to her mother before orbing out with J.P., swiping a cookie off Laura’s plate

 

Laura lingers for a moment before sitting on the chair again.

“Strange.”

Laura looks up at the Dean. “What’s strange?”

“Do you know why I picked Carmilla as my source for sacrifices?” she asks, grabbing another cookie.

Laura shakes her head, taking a bite of her own.

“When she lost Ell, her willpower was gone as a whitelighter. She still wanted to do good, but it was like she’d lost the ability to do it. Not enough to make her evil and turn her into a darklighter, though. Just a hole, a void.”

Laura frowns. “Oh.”

“She felt as if she had failed in her role as a guardian angel, so when I presented her with another role, she was eager. That is why I picked her. She was so empty and easy to manipulate.” She laughs wryly. “She fought me several times on the sacrifices over the years, but in the end she always did as she was told. And I became quite fond of her, my glittering girl.” The Dean scoffs, fixing Laura with a glare. “Until you.”

 

Laura huffs. “Well––”

“––You gave her a purpose she seemed to have lost decades ago,” the Dean interrupts. “When you’re immortal, it’s easy to lose sight of things. But you refocused her as a whitelighter. Although, I suppose your incessant, idealistic belief that you can get things done without relying on your powers is enough to make even the most complacent whitelighter busy with worry.”

Laura stares down at her plate of cookies. “Yeah, except as much as I love that Carmilla tries to protect me, I don’t want her to do it at the expense of the world. She still won’t let me sacrifice myself for the ritual.”

“A ritual which is rapidly approaching the end of its grace period,” the Dean points out.

An awkward silence follows, and Laura anxiously stuffs her face with the rest of the cookies before getting up to wash the plate.

 

“What research?” the Dean asks, making Laura pause.

“Huh?”

The Dean sighs and rolls her eyes. “What are you researching that have you and your band of merry idiots stumped?”

“Oh.” _Is she offering to help_? “Some dude named Vordenberg. Except no one’s heard of him.”

“Ah. Your predecessor.”

Laura furrows her eyebrows together. “What?”

Will lets out a cackle. “Is it just me, or are half her interactions just questions?”

The Dean clicks her tongue at him and focuses on Laura. “He has the power of persuasion, just like you, dear.”

“Wait, you know who he is?” Laura asks, bewildered. “He hasn’t shown up in anyone’s Book of Shadows, and no demon can tell me anything about him! Even the Elders are at a loss.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” the Dean says condescendingly. “That’s because, unlike you, he realizes there is power in _knowledge_. And he’s not _afraid_ to use his powers.”

 

Laura shakes her head. “What do you know about him?”

“Not much,” the Dean admits. “That’s how he likes to keep it. He’s been around for centuries, hon. But for anyone who meets him, their memory of his is as fleeting as a breeze. He literally commands them to forget about him.”

Laura’s eyes widen. “So… if Mattie met him… she wouldn’t remember it?”

“Probably not,” the Dean confirms. “He could be living in the shadows, he could be living right across the street. Who’s to know?”

 _That’s why Mattie doesn’t remember the mishap with the genie_. _And why no one knows anything about him._

 

Laura walks back to the chair, slowly letting this sink in. “Then how do you know about him?”

“I’m a powerful seer,” she says. “He likes to utilize those with future sight, although I’m sure he’s wiped many encounters from my mind. All he’s left me with, is a vague concept of who he is so that he may visit me to his leisure and skip the introduction process.”

Laura sinks into the chair with a long, defeated sigh. “So you can’t tell me anything _real_ about him.”

“No, I’m afraid I cannot,” the Dean relents. “But I _can_ help you. You must, however, promise to go alone.”

Laura nods eagerly, her face lighting up, before something occurs to her. “Why are you helping me?”

The Dean shrugs and crosses her arms. “Maybe my fondness for Carmilla has now extended to you. Or maybe because I’d like to get rid of him as much as you do. Get rid of the Boogeyman once and for all.”

 

* * *

 

 

Mattie settles into her couch with her glass of wine, sighing happily. With Carmilla busy with Laura and the Dean captured, her days had gotten much quieter. She could focus on her own business without any interruptions. Laura’s question about some genie had troubled her, but not enough to look into it. _Random bits of my memory missing, however…_

A loud clamor and crashing echoes through her cavern, disrupting her thoughts.

 _Almost without any interruptions_ , she amends. She gets up and slowly walks towards it. _Oh, for the love of the Source_.

“Uhm, uh… hi,” a voice squeaks out from under a fallen rack of potion ingredients.

“Laura.” Mattie rolls her eyes and sips from her glass, in no rush to help her. “To what do I owe this visit?”

 

Laura groans, trying to lift the heavy metal rack off her. “The Dean sent me.”

“Did she, now?” Mattie asks, amused. “For what reason? To help me redecorate? Because you’re doing a shoddy job of it.”

“No,” Laura huffs. “I wanted to learn more about Vordenberg.”

Mattie takes another sip. “Who?”

“He’s someone who’s got the same powers I do. He’s been using it to wipe people’s memories of him–– even yours, maybe. He leaves her with some small snippets, though. She said she gave you a magical item that has the rest of the puzzle.”

Mattie snickers. “Oh?”

“For safe keeping,” Laura nods. “It’s a pair of big round glasses? It’s supposed to help me see something…”

 

Mattie frowns, her face otherwise unreadable. “Why did she have it to begin with and why did she give it to me?”

“So if she ever needed leverage over Vordenberg, it’d be somewhere he wouldn’t think to go to.”

Laura looks at her, visibly holding her breath in anticipation.

“Fine,” Mattie sighs, going through a drawer. She returns and sets both it and her wine glass down. “Well, what are you waiting for? Help me pick this up.”

Laura does as told and they manage to lift it off her and return it to its original place. Mattie hands her the glasses.

“Thanks,” Laura says, taking a deep breath. “Okay. Here goes.” She pauses. “Oh, and if Carm comes looking for me––”

“––She doesn’t know you’re here?” Mattie asks, unable to hide the shock from her voice.

Laura shakes her head. “And if she comes looking for me, just please… Don’t let her interrupt this?”

Mattie rolls her eyes. “Fine. But only because she looks adorable when I annoy her.”

Laura grins and puts the glasses on.

 

The way it was described to her by the Dean, the glasses would let her look into a parallel universe. According to her, in this alternate reality, Mattie’s cavern was shared with the Dean as a storage space, and all the information she needed would be right there. It would be a simple matter of looking around.

Except the Dean was wrong, and suddenly Laura blinks out of view from Mattie.

Mattie raises an eyebrow, amused. “Oh, Carm is gonna be _pissed_.”

 

* * *

  

Laura’s head is spinning and it takes a few moments before she realizes she’s lying on the floor. She groans and tries to push herself up, vaguely realizing that the glasses are no longer on her face.

“Oh my god,” a voice breathes out. “Laura?”

Laura forces her eyes open and focuses on the person in front of her.

“Carm?”

Carmilla dives forward and pulls Laura into a tight hug. “Laura,” she sobs.

 _Something’s wrong_. _Carmilla looks… different_.

 

Laura isn’t quite sure what to do so she continues to let Carmilla hold her until she hears a loud sigh from across the cavern. “Well, if she wasn’t dead before, she will be soon if you don’t stop smothering her.”

Carmilla swallows hard and reluctantly pulls away. She seems to struggle for words and Laura waits. “Y-You can’t be real,” she eventually stammers.

Laura cocks her head to the side, not understanding.

“You’re not real,” Carmilla says slowly, staring at Laura intently.

 

“I’m real. And I’ll tell you what else I _am_ –– confused.” Laura looks back and forth between Carmilla and Mattie. “I put on the glasses and– and I somehow wound up on the floor and…” She squints. “Mattie, when did you change your clothes?”

Mattie huffs. “She must’ve really hit her head hard when she fell,” she says dismissively. “Whoever this is.”

“You’re dead,” Carmilla says softly, backing away, growing increasingly unstable. “You’re not here, you’re not here.” She grabs her hair in frustration. “You’re not here,” she says with a sob.

 

Laura’s eyes widen she realizes what Carmilla’s reaction must mean. _Oh, god. I’m in another Universe. One where I’m dead. And Carm is…_

 

Laura panics and reaches forward, grabbing Carmilla’s hands, trying to reassure her and calm her down. “I’m here. I’m real. I’m alive.” She places Carmilla’s hand on her chest and holds it there. “See? Heartbeat and everything.”

Carmilla stares at her, eyes wide as she sits down.

“But how can you be?” she whispers. Laura kneels before her, unsure of what to do.

 

Mattie rolls her eyes. “As entertaining as it is to watch you do your best impression of Rochester’s wife, Mother left me with you to get your head on straight. Except clearly we’re both losing it, because _she_ should not be here right now.”

Carmilla ignores Mattie, words rushing out. “Laura, I need to tell you this. I need to tell you things I never got to.” Her breath catches in her throat but she pushes on. “You were young and naïve and entirely too trusting, but… you listened to me. You listened to my sad tale and you didn’t flinch away.” Her voice cracks and she sniffles as tears flow down her face. “Even during your last moments, a small part of you shone through. I thought you could change the horrible story we live in, but it was all so foolish and sentimental. You’re my hero, but…”

Laura stares at her, her eyes welling up. _What kind of awful world have I stepped into that broke Carm this badly?_

Carmilla shrinks into herself, her voice slightly above a whisper. “But how could a girl like you ever believe in a girl like me?”

“I did! I do,” Laura replies softly, gently, suddenly aware of how fragile the girl before her is. “I…”

“How are you here?” Carmilla asks, her voice barely audible.

 

“I’m… not,” Laura says slowly, unsure of how much to say. “I’m a Laura from a parallel universe. One where we’ve managed to keep me alive.”

Carmilla desperately grabs at her as if she were a lifeline. “Laura, Laura. I didn’t know about the monster under the bed. I didn’t know until it was too late. I... couldn’t protect you.”

Laura swallows hard.

 

“What in the Holy Hell is going on?” Mattie blurts out, clearly impatient.

Laura and Carmilla jump, and Carmilla squeezes Laura’s hands in hers as they both rise to look at Mattie. Carmilla wraps her arms around Laura’s waist, as if afraid to let her go.

“Uhm, I’m not too clear on that, myself,” Laura admits. “The Dean from my universe told me to put on these glasses to learn more about this guy named Vordenberg, but I don't think it was supposed to totally teleport me here. I was supposed to be more of a casual observer.”

Mattie grins. “Interesting. I don't know about you, but the Laura from this universe had the power of persuasion.”

“Yeah, I have it, too.”

“That'd explain it, then. Your mind is a lot stronger than most, so it probably amplified the magic and sent you here,” Mattie says. “We should probably answer your questions as quickly as possible, if at all. Then get you on your way before you can affect our reality any more than you already have.”

Laura feels Carmilla’s hold on her tighten but presses on.

 

“All we know in our universe is that Vordenberg has the power of persuasion. That’s it. He’s used his abilities to remove everyone’s memories of him, except for the Dean to keep their interactions convenient, and me. And one witch, but he was hoping she would join some kind of army he’s raising. It helps give him power, letting him work in the shadows.”

Mattie and Carmilla look at each other.

“He never did that in this Universe,” Carmilla replies. “He’s always operated right in the open. But he uses his powers to stop everyone from getting in his way, keeping everyone afraid of him.”

“So what do you know about him?” Laura asks. “At least, in this universe, anyway.”

 

“He’s very old. Very powerful,” Mattie says. “Although not really from a pure strength perspective, I suppose. He was a witch, once. Had his own coven, used his powers for good and all that. Then he fell in love with one of his coven members. Which was fine, but Mother foresaw that she was to be sacrificed.”

“It wasn’t me that handed her over,” Carmilla interrupts immediately. “Before my time.” She swallows hard. “N-Not that… it absolves me of anything.”

Laura smiles sadly. “I’ll touch on that in a bit. After I finish getting the whole story, okay?” She looks at Mattie to continue.

 

“Well, after she was sacrificed to Lophiiformes, the gate keeper to Hell, he snapped. He blamed his coven for not acting enough, and used his powers on them to make them all kill each other. He became a warlock and then after centuries of wreaking havoc, he began to assemble as many good magical beings as he could.”

“That’s what he’s doing in my reality, too,” Laura says urgently.

Mattie nods, serious. “Then heed my words, Laura Hollis. Your Vordenberg might have the same tragic story. The one in our Universe formed this army of magical beings, but is apparently less subtle than yours, so it was obvious he was up to something. Many trying to rebel against him were prepared and took measures not to join his following. But it was inevitable, and when he had enough magical beings… He sacrificed them all in a similar ritual, except this one was to keep the gates of Hell _open_.”

 

Laura’s eyes widen. “He did _what_?”

“He only let Mother toy around with you as a placeholder and backup to open the Gates. When he couldn’t get you to sacrifice yourself voluntarily, he used his Corvae corps in the ritual. Apparently willingness is still a requirement. It’s likely the only reason you’re still alive.” Mattie pauses. “You haven’t wondered what happened to _our_ Laura?”

Laura swallows hard, looking at the broken Carmilla beside her. Carmilla lets go of Laura and takes a seat again, burying her face in her hands.

“I, uhm, managed to use my super-amazing detective skills to deduce that I’m dead here,” Laura mumbles.

“Y’know, I’ve been answering all your questions. Now it’s time to answer mine. Quid pro quo,” Mattie declares.

“Seems fair to me,” Laura says.

 

“What happened in your reality? How are you still alive?”

Laura shifts her weight back and forth between her feet. “I’m not sure where to start. I graduated from Magic School, not knowing I had powers. Carm came to me after my real whitelighter, Betty, was killed without my knowing and Carm posed as my whitelighter for a couple months. She helped me get comfortable using my powers when needed, and built my confidence up. Eventually it was revealed that she had been lying to me and I was supposed to be sacrificed so the Gates of Hell don’t open. I locked Carmilla up in a crystal cage long enough to go get some answers from your mother and then when I used my powers to lock _her_ up––”

“Whoa, whoa,” Mattie interjects. “In your reality, you used your powers on Mother?”

Laura nods, confused. “Did I not do that here?”

Both Mattie and Carmilla shake their heads.

“You never used your powers, even after I found out about them,” Carmilla says, slowly dropping her heads into her lap. “You saw Vordenberg as a cautionary tale for taking away people’s free wills.”

“…Which didn’t happen in my universe because I didn’t know about him,” Laura realizes. “I always feared I’d use them for evil, but I didn’t have any precedent for it, and you were always so encouraging that I’ve grown powerful in a small amount of time.”

 

Mattie clicks her tongue. “Crazy, how a seemingly arbitrary sequence of events can be so different.”

“So what happened to me in this reality?” Laura asks.

“Mother bested you when you confronted her, and kept you to sacrifice you,” Mattie replies bluntly. “She kept you hostage for about a week or so.”

Carmilla sniffles. “Your friends and I tried so hard to rescue you.”

 

“It was kind of impressive,” Mattie comments. “I’d never seen my sister have such a fire lit under her ass before.”

“Yeah, well. It was all for nothing,” Carmilla states quietly. She hesitantly looks over to Laura. “Vordenberg used his powers on Mother and made her release you. Just to kill you, without the ritual. Right as the cavalry arrived.”

Laura’s eyes widened. “You…”

“I watched you die. For no reason. And there was a chance I could’ve saved you,” Carmilla confirms, voice cracking again. “If I’d just come clean earlier, if I’d just tr-tried harder…” She covers her face again and lets out a sob. “I’d have rather let the whole world burn than…”

 

Laura immediately goes to Carmilla’s side and pulls her into a hug. “Carm. Carm, look at me.”

Carmilla slowly looks up, tears flowing down her face.

Laura gives her a squeeze. “I know you’ve done bad things, okay? And yes. You-You made a mess. I’m dead and… I assume that at this moment, the Gates of Hell have opened in this reality?”

She looks to Mattie for confirmation and receives a grave nod. “Mother’s been running around with your friends ever since trying to close them so she can go back to her fun. Hasn’t worked.”

Laura nods solemnly, her eyes going back to the broken girl before her. “Carm, I might not always like the choices you make, or the way things turned out, but I think it would’ve been infinitely more tragic if you had let it stop you from trying.”

 

Carmilla holds her gaze, eyes filled with confusion and wonder. “You forgive me?”

“Of course,” Laura says as lightly as she can muster. “Carm, you were a girl in pain. You lost Ell and your whole world got flipped upside down. Your bad choices weren’t the sum of who you are as a person. You’re a _good_ person.”

Carmilla sniffles again and Laura offers her the warmest smile she can.

“It wasn’t me that got you to work with my friends and try to save me. That was all you. And that’s all I could ever ask of you.” Laura swallows hard, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Carmilla’s ear. “You were there, being brave and amazing, the whitelighter you were always capable of being, before you even met me.”

Carmilla looks like her heart might burst and she stands up, pressing a kiss against Laura’s forehead. “I couldn’t save you in this universe. But I think you should go back to the one where I did,” she says softly, as if speaking any louder would cause more pain than she can take. “Because I love you so much and that’s what you deserve.”

Laura nods. She hesitates, but decides that Alternate Carmilla needs to hear this. “I love you, Carm.”

Tears fall down the whitelighter’s face as her eyes try to convey what words cannot. A lifetime of regret and pain, slightly eased by those three words.

 

Mattie holds up the glasses. “These flew off your face when you came crashing through,” she says. “Putting them back on should return you back to your reality.”

Laura takes them, staring down at the frames.

“Remember–– stop your Vordenberg from finishing his army. Don’t let him use them for the ritual. He needed enough beings equivalent to you in strength and purity for his own ritual. If he opens the gates, you’re all doomed.”

“Gee, no pressure.” Laura nods gratefully as she takes the glasses. “But thank you.”

She looks over to Carmilla, who has her eyes trained at the floor, as though watching Laura leave would actually kill her. “Bye, Carm.”

“Bye, cupcake.”

 

Laura puts on the frames and her head spins again, this time sending her crashing into a wall.

“What the _Hell_ do you mean you don’t know where she––”

Carmilla and Mattie both jump and stare at her for a few moments in shock. Carmilla is the first to move, tackling a confused Laura in a hug and pulling her in close.

“Laura.” She breathes out the name as if it’s a prayer and Laura relaxes into the embrace, realizing she’s home.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Laura reassures, pulling away just enough for them to make eye contact.

Carmilla surges forward and captures Laura’s lips in a kiss. It’s sloppy, but Carmilla is still tense and only relaxes after a few seconds to lean her forehead against Laura’s.

“Where were you? Mother said she’d sent you to go find out more about Vordenberg and you should be in Mattie’s cavern, but I came here and Mattie said you’d vanished.” Carmilla looks like she’s about to cry and Laura gives her a quick peck on the lips again.

 

“I got sent to an alternate dimension,” Laura explains. “I was only supposed to be a passive spectator, but my powers amplified the magic of the glasses and I wound up popping up in this cavern over there, where I saw you and Mattie.”

“I’m sure I’m as disgusted in that reality as I am in this one,” Mattie remarks, earning a snort from Laura.

Carmilla lets Laura go and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Tell me you at least got some answers about all of this.”

Laura nods, chewing her lip. “I think… I-I think Vordenberg’s raising an army of good beings to sacrifice to open the Gates of Hell permanently. That’s what he did over there, only quicker because everyone was too scared to stop him.”

Mattie and Carmilla glance at each other.

 

“Well, clearly that won’t happen here,” Mattie comments.

Laura raises an eyebrow. “Why?”

Mattie gives Carmilla a pointed look and a grin.

“Because, cutie,” Carmilla drawls, “something tells me _you’re_ _not_ too scared to stop him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was probably one of the hardest to write. It went through the most drafts (the story once had a different ending) so I _hope_ I got it right and consistent. I apologize if there's any discrepancies.  
>  That being said, I never intended to use Alternate Carmilla because she was such a heartbreaking part of the third season, but there was no way to bridge the knowledge gap I'd created in the final version of this fic.  
> (If you're suffering from the bad type of feels, I'm posting a lil fluff thing over the weekend to sooth your hearts :P)
> 
> Next update should be Tuesday <3  
> As always, if at any point any non- _Charmed_ fans need elaboration or clarification on something magic-related mentioned in the chapter, please let me know in the comments here or hit up my [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from y'all!  
>  The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Thank you so much for reading. Have a great weekend and stay awesome!! <3 :D


	29. Something Good

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura and Carmilla's disagreements about the ritual lead to a stroll down memory lane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one came late. Made a last-minute writer's decision and had to edit accordingly.  
> This is kind of a filler chapter but I figured some fluff was also needed before we head into the Big Battle ;)  
> Thank you all for reading and sticking with me!

Carmilla orbs into the living room, frowning when it’s empty. She heads towards the bedroom and chuckles when she finds Laura curled up in bed, snoring softly, her hair blowing from her breath in the afternoon sunlight.

She kneels next to Laura’s side and presses a kiss against Laura’s cheek. “Psst. Cutie.”

Laura cracks one eye open and closes it again. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” she mumbles.

“Right back atcha,” Carmilla comments, watching in amusement as Laura stretches with a yawn. Laura rolls over a bit so there’s room for Carmilla on the bed, as well.

Carmilla grins and wraps her arms around Laura, pulling her flush against her.

Laura lets out a squeal and giggles, rubbing her face into Carmilla’s shoulder. “Someone’s feeling snuggly.”

Carmilla hums in reply and they stay like this for a while, enjoying the silence.

 

Which Laura obviously has to break.

 

“So… what did the Elders say?” Laura asks.

Carmilla sighs. “According to their weird math, and the amount of good beings reported missing from Magic School… Vordenberg should almost have the numbers he needs to match what you’d give Lophiiformes.”

Laura swallows hard. “Carm… Look, I spoke to your mother, and she says that after the ritual, souls move on to the happy place. The good place. Not condemned to torture in Hell, or anything.” Laura tries to keep her tone light. “So… I-I know you don’t want to hear this, but… I think it’s time to release your Mother and––”

“ _No_ ,” Carmilla interrupts. She untangles herself from Laura and pulls back, staring her in the eyes. “We still have time. We’re not sacrificing you.”

Laura sits up, biting her lip. “Carm…”

“No.” Carmilla stands and shakes her head. “No.” She orbs out, leaving Laura to flop back down on the bed with a groan. 

 

* * *

 

 

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you,” Mattie says after letting Carmilla ramble for a while. “Time is running out. Mother and Laura need to do the sacrifice to save us all. I think we’d all rather have a few thousand demons hanging around being nuisances, than for Hell to break loose for all of eternity.”

Carmilla drops her head into her hands. “It’s just… It’s too soon. I _just_ found Laura and I feel like half of our time was spent with us focused on this sacrifice and not enough time was spent with us _being together_.”

Mattie stares at Carmilla with an unreadable expression for a few moments before she lets out a long exasperated exhale. “Oh, _god_.” She reaches around her neck and removes a locket, holding it out for Carmilla.

 

“Why are you giving me your heart locket?” Carmilla asks.

Mattie rolls her eyes and puts it on Carmilla. “I wear it as a reminder of what I've lost. But maybe it'll do more than that for you.”

Carmilla hesitantly takes it, still looking puzzled.

“It helps you remember the good parts of your relationship easier and more vividly. Shrouds the bad memories and lets you focus on the positive,” Mattie explains. “Got it from some old Zen monk centuries ago.”

“But why did the monk think you needed it?” Carmilla asks. Mattie had never spoken about her past before and, outside of her dealings with the Dean, Carmilla didn’t know much about her other activities.

Mattie chuckles and kisses Carmilla on the cheek. “Not in this story, sis. Not the time.” She gives a dismissive wave. “Now, go on. Your little quiche doesn’t have forever.”

 

Carmilla hugs Mattie and orbs out, into Laura’s bedroom. It’s empty, but she can hear voices coming from the living room. She hovers in the doorway, listening.

“Laura Eileen Hollis, stop trying to justify the fact that you are trying to sacrifice yourself! We agreed––”

“No, _you_ agreed,” Laura fires back coldly. “What do you expect me to do? In the course of my lifetime, you’ve protected me from polyester––”

“They have carcinogens, they leech into your skin.”

“Swimming holes.”

“The amoeba that eats your brains!”

“And my class trip to Clownville?”

“That place is a cultural Chernobyl!”

Carmilla snorts at hearing Laura and her father bicker. If memory serves, he was supposed to be leaving for a flight for his new movie set soon. Clearly he was prioritizing his daughter’s impending prophesized death.

 

“We’re not talking about you eating candy corn for dinner. Which you definitely also never do. We are talking about you crawling into a pit with a god in charge of the gates of Hell! With a woman who has been trying to convince you to sacrifice yourself repeatedly even while confined in a crystal cage while you hang out with her henchmen.”

Carmilla hears Laura take a deep breath. “Okay, yeah, when you put it that way, it sounds kinda bad. But you know the coven and Carmilla have my back.”

There’s a pause and Carmilla assumes he’s giving Laura a pointed look.

“Yeah, I feel much better about that,” he snaps before a long, exasperated sigh. “This is exactly why they kill off parents off in those movies, I swear. Because if those poor slobs had to watch what their children actually do, they’d go mad, alright?”

 

“Dad…“ The floorboards creak as Laura takes a step towards him. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to make you worry, I just... I don’t want you to be so scared for me all the time.”

“It’s too late. When I think about what can happen to you…” His voice cracks and trails off as Laura sighs.

“Dad. The world needs to be saved. And I-I’m already not sure if I’m the one who can save it. Who can fix all of this,” Laura says softly.

He lets out another long exhale and this time he takes a step towards her.

“No one knows how to save the world when they’re nineteen years old. Some of us are a lot older than that, and we still haven’t figured it out.”

 

Carmilla steps further through the doorway so she can see into the living room.

Laura shrugs. “Guess I’d still like to try. I mean, I know it’s not like the movies you’re in. But there has to be some way, doesn’t there? Even if it’s harder than you thought? Even if you don’t know if you can get it right?”

His face softens. Laura sits in a chair near him and he takes a deep breath.

 

“Do you remember when you were six and I crashed the car?”

Laura bunches up her face with a confused chuckle. “Weird segue, dad.”

“Bear with me?” he pleads rhetorically. “It was a normal summer day and we were driving home form the grocery store with our popsicles. Some kid took the curve way too fast and came right into our lane. And I woke up with my head on the steering wheel and my broken legs and the car was already filling up with smoke. You had this goose egg on your head. You were in the front seat, just wailing away, and all I could think was that you needed to get away from me. You just needed to get out before you suffocated from all that smoke. But you wouldn’t do it. You stayed there, in the passenger seat, just wailing away, rolling down the windows–– screaming, screaming, screaming. The paramedics came and they said you probably saved my life.”

He pauses as Laura takes this in.

“And even then, you were willing to risk your life for someone else. Without powers or a whitelighter or spells. And that has terrified me for a long time.”

 

Carmilla steps forward, no longer caring whether they can see her.

“We tried to lock you away from it all, your mother and I. Keep you out of Magic School day care and out of the coven house as much as possible. We thought we were helping you.” He shakes his head. “But that day I realized that I can’t just lock you away. And after your mother died, it was just not an option. And I still wish I could. Oh, I really, really, _really_ wish I could. But I can’t. I can’t control everything that happens to you, so…”

Laura’s eyes well up, but she remains quiet.

“What I should have been doing is finding other ways to… Just helping you. Supporting your magical abilities to protect yourself and those around you. Hearing you out.” He nods slowly. “I-If… If what you need from me is to tell you that you can save the world in the face of a decision that’s this hard… That you can make it all right… Then I believe in you, Laura. I’m sorry if I never made you feel like I did, but I love you and I believe in you.”

 

Laura leaps out of her chair and grabs her father in a tight hug.

She pulls away with a sniffle. “Thanks,” she says in a whisper.

He gives her one more warm squeeze. Then he turns his attention to Carmilla.

“You keep an eye on her for as long as you can, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Carmilla says, offering her hand. “I will.”

“Alright.”

He slings his bag over his shoulder and grabs his suitcase. “Keep me posted?”

“Of course,” Laura says.

He nods and waves goodbye. “I’m so proud of you,” he says, choking up as he leaves for his car.

 

Laura watches him leave through the front window before she returns to the living room. She sits on the chair with a sniffle. Carmilla quietly walks away, heading to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, she returns with a mug of hot chocolate and hands it to Laura, who takes it with a grateful smile. “I, uhm… Think we should talk,” Laura says after taking a sip.

Carmilla nods and sits on the arm. “I know. But before we do that, can you put this on?” She pulls out Mattie’s locket.

Laura stares at it, confused. “You bought me jewelry?”

“No,” Carmilla says with a chuckle. “It’s from Mattie. It’s enchanted to help her focus on good memories instead of the bad ones. Not that we have a whole lot of bad ones.”

Laura laughs softly and takes it. “Okay, it couldn’t hurt.” She puts it on and takes Carmilla’s hand in hers. “But we need to talk about h––”

 

_Whoosh._

 

Laura’s head spins and she somehow ends up on the floor, the pain of landing only compounded by a befuddled Carmilla landing on top of her.

“What the fuzzy hell is this?” Carmilla groans.

“Ow.”

Carmilla’s eyes widen and she rolls off Laura, helping her to her feet with an apologetic pout.

“Where are we?” Laura asks as they both squint through the dark haze around them. “It kinda looks familiar.”

“Whoa,” Carmilla breathes out, pointing to another version of themselves.

A Laura and Carmilla from the past are seen standing in the distance.

 

_Past Laura spins to look at Past Carmilla. “Carm?”_

_“I leave you alone for a couple weeks and you manage to get yourself killed,” Past Carmilla says jokingly._

_Past Laura rolls her eyes. “What are you doing here?”_

_“Well… I was squatting in your dad’s house when some angry redheaded string bean burst in, screaming at me to heal you because it’s against the rules for the other whitelighters to do it,” Past Carmilla explains. “And you know me–– rules meant to be broken and all that. And I gotta do everything in my power to keep you around.”_

_The Angel of Death appears. “I do believe I requested you to let this one live a bit longer,” he comments to Past Carmilla._

“Oh! This is when I got sick and almost died and you saved me,” Laura whispers.

“Yeah. I got that, cutie,” Carmilla drawls. “It was just supposed to help focus our energies. I don’t think we were supposed to have a whole-body experience with Mattie’s locket.”

Laura shrugs. “Must be my powers?”

_“Yeah, no, you’re not taking her,” Past Carmilla replies. “Not as long as I have anything to say about it.”_

_“Thank goodness,” the Angel of Death remarks with relief, disappearing again._

_Past Laura giggles and Past Carmilla grins._

_“So I guess enough with the dramatic stalling for your friends back in the livelier realm,” Past Carmilla says. “Time to heal you. Get that tiny annoying heart a-pumpin’ again.”_

Laura beams at Carmilla smugly. “You softie.”

“Yeah, what did you do to me?” Carmilla says, imitating Laura’s grin.

_Past Laura swallows hard. “I… I hope you know this still doesn’t change anything. You lying to me… It-It still hurts.”_

_Past Carmilla hesitates before nodding. “I know,” she says softly, swallowing hard. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry. If you let me, I’ll try my hardest to make it up to you. Starting with this.” Her hand hovers over Laura’s heart and a warm glow appears._

_Past Laura gives her a grateful smile. “Carm, thank y––”_

_She disappears from sight, leaving a sighing Past Carmilla. “Can’t lose you yet, cutie.”_

Carmilla gives Laura a pointed look but before Laura can address it, her head spins again.

 _Whoosh_.

 

Carmilla and Laura both clamp their eyes closed as they feel another whirling sensation. They both open them slowly, realizing they’re in Laura’s room in the coven house.

 

_“Cupcake, you've got more raw talent in your tiny pinky than they do their entire body,” Past Carmilla says, determination in her eyes. “You found that ice cream truck. You found a way for all of them to get out. You got the driver back out. That was all you. Not them. You.”_

“Your first pep talk. One of many,” Laura says at normal volume, realizing their past selves can’t see or hear them.

_Past Carmilla gives Laura nudges affectionately. “So what if you don't have powers? You've got your brain and your determination. Don't let them take that from you. And don't let them make you feel any less than you are, which is nothing short of amazing.”_

_Past Laura smiles around a sniffle._

_Past Carmilla rises with a grin. “Now, stop your crying and your moping. There’s a whole world of magic out there, waiting for one annoying Laura Hollis to discover it.” She orbs out, leaving Laura staring after her with her mouth open._

 

“You cared so much about me,” Laura points out. “Even back then, when we barely knew each other.”

Carmilla shrugs, smiling sheepishly.

“You know, when I was in the other world, I told you that you’ve always had goodness in you.” Laura says. “It all just got a little muddled.”

“Good thing I met you so you could help me find my way again,” Carmilla says gently, before taking a deep breath. “Which is why I don’t get why you’re in such a hurry to sacrifice yourself. Think of all the people you could help––”

“––People who would die if I don’t go through with the ritual,” Laura interrupts, shaking her head. “It’d be a waste––”

 

 _Whoosh_.

 

The attic.

Past Laura is arguing with the Dean.

 

_“You really care for Carmilla,” the Dean comments to Past Laura, who looks weakened._

_“I do.”_

_“Why?” She shakes her head. “I mean, how? How did you get past her false pretenses and original goal of trying to sacrifice you?”_

_“She was a good girl who lost her way,” Past Laura comments simply. “It happens to whitelighters and witches all the time. Everyone deserves a second chance. And even in spite of losing Ell, she kept her compassion and ability to love and care, so who deserves a second chance more than her?”_

_The Dean stares at her pensively, and Past Laura sighs._

_“Forget it. I don’t know why I thought you gave a rat’s ass about Carm.”_

_She nods for Danny and Perry to help her out of the room._

_“You’re so… human,” the Dean comments. “You believe in people and you just keep trying to see the best in everyone, don’t you?” She shakes her head in disbelief. “So human.”_

 

“I never knew you argued with my Mother like this,” Carmilla says.

Now it’s Laura’s turn to shrug.

“But-– This! This right here. This is why you can’t just sacrifice yourself,” Carmilla says desperately. “You’re special and _good_ and without you, people wouldn’t get the second chance that you offer them. We need to find another way. There has to be another way. I refuse to believe there isn’t.”

Laura searches Carmilla’s eyes and finds resolve.

 

 _Whoosh_.

 

Laura and Carmilla turn to find their past selves settled on the couch in front of a paused Netflix screen.

 

_“I just wanted to…” Past Laura looks very nervous and shy. “I wanted to thank you for never pushing me to use my powers.”_

_Past Carmilla looks blasé, but it’s an obvious ruse. “Hon, I’ll keep telling you this for as long as you need to hear it. You’re special. I don’t know why, but you are. And I don’t just mean because of your powers–– I mean, you’ve got a drive that I’ve never seen anyone else have before. You want the world to be better and you have that start with you.”_

_Their past selves smile at each other before Past Carmilla continues._

_“But you’re also powerful, and if it means you need some time to figure out how to deal with that, then I’ll be here every step of the way as your whitelighter to help.”_

 

They stare in silence as their past selves go back to their TV episode.

“Things were so much simpler back then, weren’t they?” Laura sighs. “When I was just panicking about using my powers and not… being given up to keep the gates of Hell closed.”

“When my biggest concern was making sure you didn’t go crazy, and not whether my mother was gonna break loose from a cage in your attic or whether some old dude was gonna kidnap you?” Carmilla offers lightly.

 

Laura laughs softly before regarding Carmilla carefully. “Okay, okay. I think I’ve got a handle on whatever my powers are doing to this thing from Mattie. How about we do a marathon of Hollstein’s Finest Moments?”

Carmilla stares at her in amusement, raising an eyebrow. “‘Hollstein?’”

“It’s our ship name. All the kids at Magic School––”

“Alright, _alright_ ,” Carmilla says, chuckling. “Go ahead, cupcake. Bring on the Hollstein.”

Laura salutes. “Yes, ma’am.”

 

_Whoosh._

_Past Carmilla is speaking to a distraught Past Laura. “Listen to me. Your willingness to trust and believe in people is what makes you a good witch. Witches who can’t trust? That means they can’t look for the good in the world around them. You’ve singlehandedly taken down demons and helped so many people with your intuition and drive in such a short amount of time.”_

_Past Laura’s crying and Past Carmilla wipes a tear away._

_“I was trying to make sense in this confusing, arbitrary universe and I think I was lost before I met you, but you inspired me to see that strength and power isn’t something the world gives you–– it’s something you generate yourself. You’re amazing.”_

_“Do you really mean that?” Past Laura asks around a sniffle._

_“Use your power on me if you don’t trust me,” Past Carmilla replies._

_Past Laura seems taken aback and Past Carmilla takes a step back, realizing she might have overstepped a boundary. “I-I didn’t…”_

_“I trust you,” Past Laura says gently. “And I think I’m on my way to forgiving you.”_

_Past Carmilla seems relieved. “I’ll make sure I’m worthy of it.”_

 

“The first time I realized I really trusted you, after finding out the whole story,” Laura says.

Carmilla nods, tears forming. “And the first time I understood that you really trusted me, _even_ after finding out the whole story.”

Laura pulls Carmilla closer into a side-hug. “Thanks for not proving me wrong.”

 

_Whoosh._

_Past Laura looks unsure. “I know we wanna have a first date, but…”_

_“Hey.” Past Carmilla says lightly. “When I said I wanted to be in a relationship with you, I meant with all of you. The witch side, too. I have feelings for you because of who you are, not in spite of it.”_

_Past Laura slowly meets Past Carmilla’s eyes. “Really?”_

_Past Carmilla nods and Laura squeals._

Laura smiles fondly. “And this is when I realized this could really work.”

Carmilla quirks an eyebrow. “’This?’”

“Y’know,” Laura smiles. “Us.”

_Whoosh_.

_A quick flash of Past Carmilla winning Past Laura a bunch of prizes on their date to the carnival._

_Whoosh_.

 

Carmilla stares down as the two of them hover in the air, high above the ground. “Ah, I remember this one.”

Laura giggles.

_Past Laura is speaking as they approach the top of the Ferris Wheel. “The same goes for me. I’m not with you just because I think you’re some epic hero in the making. I’m with you because you’ve stumbled on the way, but you’re still here. Fighting the good fight. Caring. In spite of the Universe and the Powers That Be getting in your way, you’re still here. With me. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”_

_Past Laura is ready to make a move and Past Carmilla meets her in the middle. The world fades away as two girls share their first kiss._

“I felt so safe, on this Ferris Wheel,” Laura sighs happily, taking Carmilla’s hand and squeezing it.

“Me, too, cupcake. Me, too.”

_Whoosh_.

 

“And this is the _first_ time I felt truly safe with you,” Laura says, pointing as they watch their past selves settled in a car outside the house and a harried Past Laura shifts uneasily in the car.

 

_“Carmilla?”_

_“Hmm?”_

_Past Laura looks so worried as she unbuckles herself and turns to face Carmilla. “I’m scared.”_

_“Scared of what?”_

_Past Laura speaks as if bursting with uncertainty and fear. “If I can control people’s minds… their free will… Th-That’s just so much power.”_

_Past Carmilla isn’t having any of it. “I haven’t known you for too long, cutie. But something tells me you’re too good to use this power and take advantage of people.”_

_“But what if I’m not?” Past Laura says, starting to cry._

_“Then that’s what your handy-dandy whitelighter is for,” Past Carmilla replies. “To guide you. To train you. To protect you. Even if it’s from yourself.”_

_Past Laura looks relieved to have someone in her corner._

_“You should go get some rest,” Carmilla comments carefully. “We can figure out what to do about your powers tomorrow.”_

_Past Laura agrees and starts to leave the car before hesitating. “Hey, Carmilla?”_

_Past Carmilla stops from orbing out herself. “Yeah?”_

_Past Laura lunges forward with a knee on the seat and gives Past Carmilla a small peck on the cheek. “Thanks!” she squeaks as she gets out of the car. She darts to the house, leaving an amused Past Carmilla behind._

 

“Gosh, I was such a dork,” Laura comments

Carmilla snorts. “’Was?’”

“Shut up,” Laura scoffs.

 

 _Whoosh_.

 

“That time the Cupid angel was trying to tell us we’re soul mates and we were too stupid to realize it,” Laura says with a giggle.

 

_Cupid tells Past Laura he hopes she finds the peace and love she’s looking for. He gives a pointed look at Past Carmilla, who doesn’t notice because she’s too busy staring proudly at Laura._

_Whoosh._

Laura grins at Carmilla in a dark warehouse. Carmilla seems confused, so Laura’“And now… Last, but not least…”

_Past Laura stands in shock. She'd done it. She'd vanquished her first two demons. She'd survived her first mission._

_She hears slow clapping and she obviously thinks it's Danny turning towards the sound with a proud smile, which immediately vanishes when she realizes it's the stranger who orbed out earlier._

_The enigmatic girl regards her, entertained. “Wow, cupcake. Colored me impressed.”_

_Past Laura doesn’t seem as entertained. “Who are you?”_

_“I'm Carmilla. I'm your whitelighter, sweetheart.”_

“Oh. My. God,” Carmilla laughs. “I’m so overdramatic.”

“You said it, not me,” Laura giggles. She gives Carmilla a peck on the cheek. “And the rest is history.”

_Whoosh._

The memory fades and they find themselves back in Laura’s living room.

“You flew to these memories so fast,” Carmilla comments. “As if they were just ready for you to go to.”

Laura nods, taking a deep breath. “Because they are. Carm, ever since I found out about Vordenberg’s plans, this past year has been the only thing on my mind. I know that to you it must seem like I’m diving into this ritual headfirst without a care, and without thinking of you. But that’s not true. _God_ , that’s not true.”

Carmilla watches as tears fall down Laura’s face.

“I remember _all_ of it.” Laura lets out a long sigh. “And yeah, I remember the pain of finding out that you’d lied to me for months, and all the disagreements we’ve been having. But even without Mattie’s locket, I also remember that it has been absolutely amazing being with you, Carm.”

Laura is crying now, settling down on the couch as Carmilla swallows hard.

 

“Laura, I… I-I didn’t know…” Carmilla’s voice cracks, but she continues talking. “But this is why I can’t just watch you die. For no reason. When there was a chance I could’ve saved you. If I lose you… I think I’d go mad.”

Alternative Carmilla’s words and sadness echo through Laura’s mind. The broken shell of a girl trapped in “what ifs” and “maybes” and “too lates.”

 

“Carm, that can’t be what we are to each other.” Laura lets out a small sob but shakes her head. “You look at me like I’m the only thing tethering you to the world and… it cracks me open and all of our stupid, messy fears come tumbling out in ‘maybes’ and ‘somedays,’ and how is that fair?”

Carmilla looks at her, at a loss for words, tears flowing down her own cheeks.

Laura realizes she needs to address the bleak potential future she saw, and fight like Hell to keep it from happening. “Look, in the other place, everyone told me how Vordenberg loved someone, and they died, and he couldn’t accept it. All of this–– the chaos, the misery–– it’s because he’d rather pull the world apart at the seams than let go. We can’t be like that.” Laura takes a deep breath. “This isn’t like the other place where I was too weak and you were too late. We found each other here. Almost a year’s worth of memories that I hold near and dear.”

Carmilla’s eyes soften, her resolve slowly and visibly melting away.

 

“Carm, I don’t want either of us to turn into Vordenberg. Mad and bitter and ruining everything we touch. I don’t want that to be our story. Okay?” Laura holds eye contact with Carmilla, taking her hands in hers. “Our story is that we made each other better.”

Carmilla gives a small nod.

“I need us to do this together. I can’t do this without you. I won’t. Carm, I need you to know that this past year was amazing, but it won’t be ruined because we couldn’t let each other go. I need you to know that you made me stronger and better and that without you, I couldn’t do this.”

 

Laura lets all of her words and pleas hang in the air. Finally, Carmilla gives Laura’s hands a squeeze.

“There’s so much on your little capable shoulders,” Carmilla says softly and gently. “I guess I can’t expect all of that to evaporate just because I love you.”

They both pause and stare at each other, eyes wide.

_I love you._

_Because I love you._

Carmilla had known it for quite some time, but saying it made it real. Made it so there’s something to lose–– but also something to gain. The words were out there, now.

 

“I love you, too,” Laura replies sincerely and strongly, tears welling up. “Why shouldn’t that be something good?”

Carmilla pulls Laura into a hug before she pulls back and captures Laura’s lips in a kiss, feeling Laura melt into her embrace.

 

There was one memory Laura hadn’t let them relive, and that was Future Laura saying they’d still together, and that everything was going to be okay.

She didn’t need that one, not when ever fiber of her being was already telling her that right now.

 

_Because I love you._

_Something good._

_We’re gonna be okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D  
> The next update should be Friday  
> The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Feel free to chat with in the comments or on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)!  
> Stay awesome!! <3


	30. Not After All This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle begins. Carmilla makes a decision, but so does Laura.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm. Sorry.

“So… you told Laura that you will support her decision to be sacrificed, when actually… You have no intention of doing so,” Mattie says slowly.

Carmilla nods sheepishly. “Mattie, she told me she loved me back. I can’t lose her now.”

“For the love of God, Carmilla,” Mattie says exasperatedly. “If the little bean doesn’t go through with this, _Hell will be unleashed on Earth._ ”

“I know!” Carmilla runs a hand through her hair. “I know. And I know why you and Laura are all on board to go through with this, but I can’t. Especially not if– If––” She lets out a long sigh. “Can we sacrifice someone else?”

 

Mattie raises an eyebrow. “You really think _Laura_ would go through with that?” She shakes her head. “Even if we could find someone else powerful enough to sacrifice to Lophiiformes, she would never agree to it. We’re just wasting time, sis. The longer you sit around hemming and hawing, the stronger Vordenberg’s army grows, and the sooner he can sacrifice them all and keep the gates of Hell open for eternity until an army just as vast and powerful is sacrificed. You’d just be delaying the inevitable, and making it that much worse.”

 

Carmilla buries her face in her hands and lets out a long sigh. Her phone rings and she jumps. She answers it immediately. “Laura?”

Mattie watches as she listens to Laura’s rambling and her eyes grow wider and wider.

“Shit. _Shit_. Okay, I’m coming. See you at the violence.” Carmilla hangs up and swallows hard. “Vordenberg is attacking the school and rounding up as many people as he can get his hands on. A full-scale assault. His Corvae army is killing people who actively fight back.”

Mattie clicks her tongue. “Looks like we’ve waited too long, already.” She seems to mull something over and speaks slowly. “I’ll send some demonic reinforcements. The time for good versus evil is over. Right now, we need to keep the gates of Hell from opening, no matter what.”

Carmilla swallows hard and nods.

 

She orbs into Magic School and her mouth drops open. She had heard the commotion in the background of the call, but there was nothing to prepare her for a battle of this magnitude.

Young witches are being herded away by the older ones, but demons were making quick work of them.

Vordenberg had obviously managed to use his knowledge of Magic School to his advantage. The security measures had been updated over the centuries, to be sure, but the basics such as the protection spell or the entries had remained the same.

The Corvae forces–– both good and evil beings–– are wearing a sort of body armor, capable of blocking weapons. LaFontaine is throwing fireballs at them, but they simply get absorbed. Some Elders who had been teaching courses when the battle erupted are trying to shoot lightning at the demons, but those are also being absorbed.

 

 _This is it. This is the final fight,_ Carmilla realizes in horror.

 

Whitelighters and other teleporters are entering and leaving with whatever beings they can get their hands on, taking them anywhere else for safety. Carmilla squints and sees Laura tripping a lower level demon, stabbing him with a small dagger in a very small area not covered by the vest.

Laura reaches out and takes Kirsch by the arm, whispering something in his ear and waiting for him to nod his understanding and orb out. She grabs a young girl nearby and points to where whitelighters are orbing in for transport. There’s a male witch standing nearby, coordinating the entire mess.

“Run to Theo!”

Carmilla runs past Danny, who’s waving her hands to send demons flying away from the students and other powerless beings.

 

“Laura!” Carmilla calls out as Laura is tackled by a large thuggish demon.

“ _Let go of me_ ,” Laura commands. He does as told and she quickly vanquishes him with her dagger.

Laura spins and is tackled into a tight hug by Carmilla. “Ya killin’ me, Hollis,” Carmilla chuckles into Laura’s hair, pressing a kiss against the side of her head. She feels Laura let out a sigh of relief.

 

LaFontaine is nearby, throwing a fireball at a warlock reaching for a whitelighter. It bounces off the demon’s outfit. “I really _hate_ that they’re wearing those graphene-lined suits!”

A demon rushes past LaF and towards Laura.

They look at Carmilla. “Get her out of here!” they yell.

Laura pulls away from Carmilla and shakes her head. “No!”

Perry grabs a potion from a sack and flings it, wincing as the demon explodes and leaves a scorch mark on the floor. “Laura, we can’t risk them getting you!”

 

There’s a loud tapping noise nearby and the group looks over to see Vordenberg on a countertop, using a cane to get his army’s attention.

“Yes, yes my Corvae soldiers! Continue to obtain anyone that you can! We are so close to completing our task! Just a bit more and––” He spots Laura and a cruel smile creeps onto his face. “ _You_.”

“Go! Go!” Danny barks, shoving Carmilla at Laura. “Get Hollis to safety!”

Carmilla nods and, ignoring Laura’s struggling, orbs her into the coven house before Laura shoves her off.

 

“What the heck are you doing, orbing me here?” Laura shouts.

Carmilla clenches her fists and shakes her head. “Laura…”

“No! We can’t just leave my friends there to––” Laura’s voice cracks. “Carm, you promised. You promised to support me.”

Carmilla feels tears stinging her eyes but she doesn’t let them fall. “I’m sorry.”

 

Laura starts to open her mouth to use her power and demand Carmilla take her back. “Forget it, I’m not gonna have you bring me back there,” Laura growls.

Carmilla lets out a sigh of relief.

Laura steps closer to Carmilla with a look on her face that Carmilla’s never seen before.

“Coz I’m the one who’s sorry.”

 

Carmilla furrows her eyebrows together in confusion. “Sorry for what?”

Laura presses a kiss to Carmilla’s lips, lingering a bit before stepping away.

Carmilla swallows, the kiss leaving her feeling hollow. “Sorry for what?” she repeats.

 

Laura sniffles, reaching for a box. “ _Don’t move. Don’t orb._ ” she says.

Carmilla feels her body freeze in place, no matter how much she tries to move.

Laura starts taking crystals out of a small wooden box and placing them around Carmilla in a circle. Carmilla’s eyes widen.

“Laura, wait. Wait.”

Laura hesitates before putting down the last crystal. The cage forms and Carmilla shakes her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. “What are you doing?”

 

Laura puts the box down and hovers at the bottom of the stairs. “What I should’ve done weeks ago. I’m letting your mother go and we’re gonna do the ritual.”

Carmilla mouth tastes like ashes. “No.”

“ _You can move now._ ”

Carmilla presses herself against the edge of the cage immediately. She searches Laura’s face for any weakening resolve, and her shoulders slump forward when she finds no signs of it. “Could we just pretend, just for now, that if I asked, we’d run away? We’d find some way to leave and we’d just go.” Her voice cracks and she closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. “We’d sleep in hotel rooms and never live in the same city twice. There would be no one to fail or disappoint or save. It would just be you and me in love.”

“Do anything, go wherever we want.” Laura hesitates and laughs sadly. “Like Paris. We could go to Paris and- and… and get a crappy apartment and read Simone de Beauvoir and eat chocolate croissants. That would be nice, wouldn’t it? We could be happy that way?” She lingers in the daydream for a moment before shaking her head. “But we wouldn’t be ‘you and me’ anymore. Our friends need me. The world needs me to do this.”

Carmilla opens her eyes, staring at Laura and choking back a sob. ”You were supposed to stay safe. You were supposed to have a nice little life, Laura.”

 

Laura puts the box down and settles on the couch across from the circle, taking a deep breath. “Carm, you didn’t see what it was like in the other place, with Vordenberg taking over. Everyone had just given up. They were all just waiting for the end. Here, there’s still a chance.”

“Laura, don’t do this,” Carmilla pleads.

The image of Alternate Carmilla as a sad, broken shell is burned into Laura’s mind. The hollowed out girl who was forced to watch as another girl she loved died right before her. She makes it halfway up the stairs before she turns back and heads back downstairs, staring at Carmilla.

 

“You know, before all this, I spent so much time trying to figure out how to keep myself safe. And I don’t just mean magically or physically.” Laura wrings her hands together. “I didn’t want to risk hoping too hard and ending up disappointed, or loving too much and having too much to lose. Because it seemed like that’s the lesson the world was trying to teach me, y’know?”

Carmilla remains silent, her eyes slowly falling to the floor.

Laura lets out a small sob. “Except now I think that… Love is worth the risk.”

Carmilla closes her eyes, her fists tightening.

“It doesn’t matter how safe I try and make myself, there’s always going to be disappointment and loss. There’s no stopping that. Not unless you give up before you even try,” Laura continues with a sniffle. “It’s why I have to do this, even though I’m terrified. Even though I’d do anything to not have to do this in the first place.”

 

Carmilla opens her eyes again, this time forcing herself to look at Laura and really take her in. “Please don’t leave me. Not after all this. Please,” she begs through a sob. “Please.”

“I love you so much,” Laura says.

She waits for a few seconds but when Carmilla doesn’t reply, she heads for the stairs.

“I love you, too,” Carmilla replies softly.

It’s enough to make Laura pause again, but she pushes herself onward and ascends the steps.

 

She heads to the attic, where a smirking Dean and Will are waiting for her.

“Finally get past the pouting Kitty Cat?” Will asks.

Laura ignores his comment and turns her attention to him first. “ _Go to the Magic School. Find Theo and orb him here to protect Carm. Stay with Theo, where he can keep an eye on you, too._ ” She removes a crystal and Will nods with a sigh.

“Yes, ma’am,” he says sarcastically, orbing out.

 

“Who’s Theo?” the Dean asks as Laura walks towards her.

“A witch with the power to duplicate himself. I picked him so he can keep coordinating the trips out of Magic School, while also providing more muscle here for Carm,” Laura says. She stares down at the crystals on the ground. “Are you ready to perform the ritual?”

The Dean snickers. “Sweetheart, I’ve _been_ ready.”

Laura gives a small nod and kneels, removing a crystal. “Let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Well, if I didn’t think you lacked fashion before…” Mattie lets out a cackle as Laura dons a special garment.

Laura groans. “Why am I wearing this again?”

“Your clothes are much too unpredictable,” Mattie says, spinning Laura to make sure the outfit is on properly. “The ritual ends in a bit of a explosive finale, and it’s annoying for us to have to clean up the bits of material afterwards. This one burns much more efficiently.”

Laura crosses her arms. “ _Great_.”

The Dean teleports into the room, a pile of ingredients in a sack. She and Mattie begin setting them out as Laura paces nervously.

“Will you please talk to her or knock her out?” the Dean says to Mattie, who sighs and walks over to Laura. She grabs her by the shoulders to make her stop.

 

“Will it hurt?” Laura asks, her voice small.

Mattie lets go of Laura and shrugs. “It’s not really like we’ve had an abundance of testimonials after the fact.”

“Yeah,” Laura frowns. “Yeah.”

The Dean walks over, hands on her hips. “Are you ready? Once you step into the circle, there’s no turning back.”

Laura swallows hard, closes her eyes and nods. The Dean gestures for Laura to stand in the center of a circle of sticks and candles. As Laura heads over, footsteps catch their attention.

 

Laura furrows her eyebrows together. “Theo?”

He doesn’t speak, but steps aside to reveal Vordenberg, trailed by someone else.

Laura’s eyes widen. “Carm?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Look. I wasn't gonna leave it like this and I was gonna do two chapters in one update. But the next one is kind of a doozy and this one was already really emotionally charged and I didn't want to overwhelm you guys. But if you've read my stuff before, I hope you know to trust me. Love you all <3
> 
> Next update is Tuesday!  
> Feel free to yell at me in the comments here or hit me up on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)! Love hearing from y'all!  
> The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Thank you so much for reading. Have a great weekend and stay awesome!! ;)


	31. Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura uses all the lessons she's learned since leaving Magic School to try to find the best way to show Vordenberg that the world is worth saving.

“ _Stay behind me_ , if you will,” Vordenberg says to Carmilla.

Laura looks over to Theo. “You were supposed to protect her.”

Vordenberg lets out a cackle. “Oh, don’t blame him, dear. He had no choice. Just like his duplicate had no choice when I made him tell me where you were keeping her. Or when I told his other duplicates to send all the people he was in charge of straight to me… Or when I used my powers to have whitelighters and witches turn on each other in that godforsaken school…”

Laura’s eyes widen. “No…” she whispers in horror.

“Yes. Well. You should’ve continued to be a good little stubborn girl and refused to be a sacrifice. Or at the very least, be more amenable to be a part of mine,” he says, walking away from Carmilla and Theo. “ _Nobody is allowed to move._ ” He leans on his cane gleefully, taking in the room before him.

 

Laura feels her body go numb and then stiffen as she tries to resist. _Getting a taste of my own medicine isn’t very fun_.

“I’m going to make you all watch as I begin my ritual,” he sneers.

 _I’ve gotta stall_. Laura racks her brain, trying to come up with something.

Vordenberg glances at Theo. “ _Go have your original self assemble my followers and bring them here_.”

Theo nods grudgingly and vanishes from sight.

 

Laura continues to struggle against the invisible force holding her in place, to no avail.

“Why did you start making it so blatantly obvious you were assembling an army? You waited so long while doing it in secrecy,” Laura says.

Vordenberg looks at her, surprised that she’s speaking. Clearly his command for no one to move was supposed to extend to talking. Laura glances around the room and from what she can tell, everyone else is just as shocked that she’s able to speak.

“I’ll indulge your questions until my cattle show up,” Vordenberg replies. “I’d already spent so long executing my plans in the shadows. When I tracked down the latest sacrifice and found you in that barbaric demonic fighting ring, and realized you shared my gifts, I realized I no longer had the luxury of taking my time.”

“Why?” Laura asks, still pushing against her magical restraints.

“Most sacrifices only keep the gates closed for a few years. But by using someone as powerful as you, there wouldn’t need to be another ritual for decades. Even I don’t have the patience to continue waiting that long,” Vordenberg replies, twirling his cane. “The Dean’s visions are based on the most powerful magical being at the time of the ritual. Well, all the ones on the side of good, anyway.”

 

Laura looks over to the Dean, glaring at her. “So there _could’ve_ been another option.”

“If there was, she wouldn’t have known. Seers may be more or less on the fence in the great cosmic scheme of things, but their powers are rooted in evil. Their visions are fundamentally biased.”

Laura clenches her jaw and Vordenberg observes her, curious.

“Tell me something. You have the same powers and gifts as I do. And yet, from what I’ve heard, you refuse to use them unless absolutely necessary. Even when I was still a good witch, I didn’t have these qualms. I didn’t use them for evil, but I did use my powers with little restraint.” He cocks his head to the side. “Why won’t you use yours?”

Laura continues to fight the invisible barrier holding her in place. “Because,” she swallows hard, looking at her frozen comrades around the room, “our gift has so much power behind them. Why command others to follow my wishes when I can just try to convince them and let them decide for themselves?”

 

“Bah,” Vordenberg says with a scoff, “ _free will_. What a noble and naïve concept.”

This is the last thing he says before Laura finally manages to break free of his commands. It takes her by surprise and she stumbles for a couple steps before heading to tackle Vordenberg.

“ _Karnstein! My contingency!_ ” he yells as Laura is about to reach him.

Laura freezes as she watches Carmilla from across the room, pulling out something strapped to her back that she hadn’t seen before. The object burns Carmilla’s hand, but she robotically holds it and aims it at her heart.

 _A darklighter arrow_ , Laura realizes.

A cruel smirk appears on Vordenberg’s face when he confirms he’s gotten Laura’s attention. He snickers and takes a dramatic step away from Laura. “If anything happens to me, then your whitelighter will pierce her own heart with that darklighter arrow.”

Laura glances over to Carmilla, who stares back with pleading eyes. Mattie and the Dean share a similar desperate look.

 _His powers work without him even having to give a formal command_ , Laura realizes. _I’m way outpowered._

“Oh, _oh_ , I can’t do this anymore! I need the extra drama,” Vordenberg exclaims with too much glee. “ _You’re all allowed to speak again._ ”

 

“Laura, ignore the old windbag and get in the damn circle,” Mattie growls immediately. “Or we’ll all die regardless when Hell spews onto Earth.”

Laura swallows hard. “B-But… Carm…”

She looks over to Carmilla, who shakes her head.

“Cupcake… Laura. I love you. I don’t want to lose you. But y-you can’t let him win––”

Vordenberg lets out a loud sigh. “––I’m bored again. _No more talking_.”

Carmilla’s mouth clamps shut but her eyes well up with tears.

 

Vordenberg turns his attention back to Laura. “Let me ask you something. Have you used your powers on demons? To vanquish them?”

Laura nods, her eyes still on Carmilla.

“What is the difference between using your powers on them and using your powers on humans?”

“Demons are hurting people,” Laura replies. “They’re bad. Evil.”

Vordenberg mulls this over, resting on his cane. “Humans hurt humans, too. Why, one could argue Miss Karnstein has hurt more of them than some demons have,” he points out. “She’s lured many in the past century for the same ritual you were about to sacrifice yourself in. How is that any better than the demons you use your powers on?”

 

Laura forces herself to continue to look at Carmilla. “That’s different. Humans and people, like Carm, who do bad things, deserve a second chance. Because doing bad things doesn’t make them a bad person. They have the ability to change, to right their wrongs. And they deserve the opportunity to do that. Demons don’t have that capability.”

Vordenberg scoffs, leaning harder on his cane. “You’re telling me that you can look at someone who was supposed to guide and care for vulnerable magical beings, but instead led them to their deaths… That you can look at Carmilla Karnstein and decide she should have a second chance?”

“Yes.” Laura finally looks away, making eye contact with him. “Yes, I can. Because everyone deserves a second chance. Even her. Even––”

 

The massive sound of approaching footsteps in the tunnel above them catches their attention.

Vordenberg nods for a few moments before shrugging. “Well, I hope she used hers wisely, because this is the end of it.”

Laura’s eyes widen.

“ _Kill yourself, Karnstein._ ”

Laura immediately rushes to Carmilla and grabs the arrow, trying to pry it from her hands.

“ _Backup contingency plan,_ ” Vordenberg shouts.

 

Carmilla lets out a whimper, shaking her head.

That’s the only warning Laura gets before Carmilla changes her tactic and plunges the arrowhead into Laura’s side. Laura cries out in agony and Carmilla quickly withdraws it before starting to aim for her own heart again.

“ _NO!_ ” Laura yells, ignoring the pain from her bleeding side as she pins Carmilla’s arms down. “ _Do not kill yourself and drop the arrow right now!_ ”

Carmilla pauses, and her hand lets go as the arrow falls to the floor. She and Laura both stare at it in shock.

 

“What? How?” Vordenberg demands as Laura throws the arrow across the room, away from Carmilla.

Laura pushes herself up, realization dawning on her. Vordenberg watches in confusion as Laura steps closer to him. “I can undo everything you do,” she says as strongly as she can. _It’s just draining a lot more out of me than when I usually use my powers_. But she’s not going to tell him that. “Because I have something you don’t. I’ve got the support of Carm and my dad and my friends.”

Vordenberg’s eyes widen. Laura turns to face the Dean, still clutching at her bleeding side.

“ _Speak._ What did you see in your vision of me and this ritual?” she asks.

The Dean clears her throat, relieved to be able to talk again. “I saw you about to go into the circle I created.”

“Is it possible that what you saw was what happened right before Vordenberg and Theo and Carm walked in?” Laura asks.

“I… I suppose so,” the Dean replies. “I did find this vision peculiar, since most of the ones I’ve had of sacrifices are of them being engulfed in the Lophiiformes’s light.”

Laura nods, taking this in. “Then… is it possible that I’m not the sacrifice? If someone on the side of evil is more powerful than I am?”

 

The room goes silent as Vordenberg and Laura stare at the Dean.

“Yes,” she finally replies. “But he’d still have to go in voluntarily.”

“Which I refuse to do,” Vordenberg says immediately.

 

Orbs light up the cavern and Kirsch appears. “Uhm. Hi, dudes. I, uh, had trouble finding the party.”

Everyone but Laura stares at him in confusion.

Laura lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god, Kirsch. Great timing. Did you get her like I asked?”

Kirsch nods. “Do I bring her out now?”

“Yes, please,” Laura replies.

He waves his hand a woman with an ethereal, ghostly form appears. Laura looks over to Vordenberg, whose mouth is open and tears flow freely down his face.

 

“Clarke,” he breathes out. “Clarke, is that really you?”

The woman nods, looking around them. Vordenberg’s Corvae army and his sacrifices have now made it outside the cavern. Laura’s eyes widen when she sees Danny, Perry, and LaFontaine at the front.

“Wow. It’s a party now,” Danny says dryly.

LaF sighs. “You’d think one of us would’ve RSVP’d no.”

“How can you two make jokes when someone’s about to get sacrificed?” Perry scolds.

 

“Darling, what have you done?” the ghost asks, her voice filled with love and concern.

He’s unable to reply, utterly speechless upon hearing her voice once again.

“My love, before I died… I told you I was doing this of my own volition. Because I believed in the cause,” she states, gently but firmly. “If my life was required to keep the gates of Hell from spilling untold evil onto Earth, then I knew without a doubt that it was the right thing to do.”

Vordenberg’s grip on his cane tightens. “It could have been another witch. Any other witch that wasn’t you.”

“But I was the best candidate. The most powerful witch at the time,” she explains carefully. “If it wasn’t me, then the next witch wouldn’t have had enough magic within them to keep the gates closed for as long. By sacrificing the most powerful witch, it minimizes how many need to be sacrificed to Lophiiformes. It is a noble cause that saves lives.”

 

Laura’s eyes wander over to Carmilla, who seems to finally begin to understand why Laura is so willing to give her life.

Vordenberg fiddles with the cane handle. “A-Are you… Are you in pain?”

“No, my beloved,” she says with a soft chuckle. “Did you think you had to open the gates of Hell to find me?”

He shakes his head dumbly.

She gives him a sad smile. “Oh, my love. I’ve been at peace this entire time. But when this whitelighter came to me to tell me you had not let go of me yet, I knew I had to come here and speak with you.”

Vordenberg swallows hard.

“Your gift is so immense and the lure of corruption was always even more immense,” she admits. “But you did so much good with it. We learned together that free will wasn’t a gift–– it was a right. Choices are what make second chances so powerful.”

Vordenberg nods, tears forming. “I just… I just missed you so much.”

“I know, my love,” she says sadly. “But you didn’t just lose me. You lost yourself somewhere along the way, too. Trying to tear apart the universe to get me back? That’s not you.”

 

Vordenberg lets out a small sob and takes a few moments before composing himself. Laura watches warily as he approaches her. He clutches onto his cane and looks between her and Clarke’s ghost. “You. Girl. You share my gift, but… You’re better than I could have ever hoped to be. You learned all of this young, and without needing the constant guidance of a loved one.”

Laura shakes her head. “I learned all of this _because_ I had so many loved ones. And it took me a while to figure it out.”

She reaches out and touches his arm gently.

“I’m so sorry. Your world has been fear and hatred for so long that I couldn’t see it,” she says softly. “Your broken heart.”

He looks at her, as if seeing her for the first time.

 

Laura takes a deep breath. “You didn’t just lose your love. Because of that love, you were trapped within yourself, like it was chains. And fear and hatred twisted you into something you were never supposed to be. Somewhere in all that anger and darkness, you lost all your hope, didn’t you?” She smiles sadly at him. “But maybe it’s not too late to give you back what you lost.”

 _If you want to set someone free, give them back to themselves._ She steps closer and wraps her arms around him, giving him a hug. He stands there, not rejecting or opposed to it. Instead, he seems confused at receiving compassion and understanding.

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” Laura whispers.

She pulls back. Vordenberg smiles at her and for the first time, it seems warm and kind. There are crinkles around his eyes, ones that look like they haven’t formed in a while. The lines do come easily as if he’d once smiled a lot. As if love and compassion had been something he’d readily offered, before the world stripped it all away.

Vordenberg’s smile fades a bit as his eyes well up again and he looks at the spirit of his soul mate.

 

“You’re always telling people what they deserve,” he says to Laura. “Maybe someone should tell you the same.” He swallows hard and steps towards the circle. “You deserve a world not engulfed by Hell. The world worthy of second chances.”

Laura watches, her mouth open as she realizes what he’s doing. “Wait. I…”

“I doubt that you would, but don’t make my mistakes, hmm? It’s a long bitter life if you do.” He steps into the circle.

Tears form in Laura’s eyes. “Thank you.”

 

A bright white light flashes across the entire cavern and his screams quickly disappear in a loud explosion. The blast sends Laura flying off her feet, grunting as she lands on the side where Carmilla had stabbed her with the arrow.

She tries to force her eyes open, but her ears are ringing and her head is pounding. Laura feels hands on her arm, and a warm feeling on her side and head before she manages to open her eyes again. Carmilla is still healing her side, her eyebrows drawn together in concern.

“Carm?” Laura groans, struggling to focus. “Y-Your hand. It’s burnt from the darklighter arrow…”

“Don’t worry about that,” Carmilla says around a chuckle. She pauses and swallows hard, her face darkening. “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” she rushes out. “I’m so sorry.”

 

“It’s fine, Carm,” Laura says. “I’m okay. We’re all okay.”

Laura sits up, watching as Vordenberg’s would-be sacrifices turn and leave in confusion as to how they ended up there. Laura’s coven rushes in to check on her.

“I can’t believe it worked,” Danny exhales. “I mean, I _can_ , but…”

“I think we’re all just relieved you’re alive, Laura,” Perry says warmly.

LaF nods. “And convincing Vordenberg to go in your place, without using your powers? Very bad ass.”

Laura giggles. “Thanks, guys.”

 

Carmilla takes Laura in, eyes sweeping over her to make sure there are no more wounds. “H-How did you know to get Clarke?”

“Followed my heart,” Laura says simply. “Took a chance that he was like us. Scared. Afraid. Broken. And I thought maybe if I gave him back to himself… If I set him free…” Laura laughs. “Kinda like the fortune I got from the night we went to see that hockey game.”

 

She looks over at Clarke’s ghost, who still remains in the cavern, smiling gently down at Laura. As she’s speaking, another ethereal being appears before them.

“Vordenberg,” Danny says, shocked.

He seems just as surprised as he observes his form.

“Are you ready to finally be at peace, my love?” Clarke asks.

Vordenberg swallows hard before nodding. “Yes.” He looks down at Laura. “Thank _you_.” He takes Clarke’s hand and they both slowly vanish from sight.

 

The Dean walks over to Laura and shakes her head disapprovingly. “Well, that was greatly dissatisfying. You get all set to sacrifice a girl and then nothing? It’s like having the last page of your book ripped out,” she comments, making Laura giggle.

Carmilla grins at the sound and pulls her in for a deep kiss.

“Ya killin’ me, Hollis,” Carmilla laughs dryly. “You saved the world with a frickin’ fortune cookie.”

The Dean scoffs. “Pfft, then let the fortune cookie factories figure out who’s gonna be needed when the next sacrifice comes in a couple centuries. I need a vacation after this one.”

Laura laughs. “I think we all do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Kudos to [Oxygule](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Oxygule/pseuds/Oxygule) for [figuring out a part of how they were gonna get outta this mess](http://archiveofourown.org/comments/107124444) hee hee)  
> :D Hope it met expectations <3  
> The last update will be Friday. I'll save my sappy end note for then. Until then...  
> Thank you all for reading! The story is also on [Wattpad](http://my.w.tt/UiNb/BHqxNSWIzz). Updates are tagged on tumblr as [#Charmed au](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/tagged/charmed-au).  
> Feel free to chat with me in the comments or on [tumblr](http://romeo-oh-nomeo.tumblr.com/)!  
> Stay awesome!! ^-^


	32. Breaking Rules and Being Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Carmilla at her side, Laura takes the next step in making things better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this last chapter was supposed to come tomorrow, but something came up and I won't be near my computer for a few days. Rather than post this late, I figured it'd be better to do it early.  
> All good things...

Laura cocks her head to the side. “So you’re saying…”

The Dean sighs exasperatedly. “I’m saying that according to my visions, Vordenberg was such a powerful sacrifice, that we won’t need another one for Lophiiformes for _centuries_. Now, wait here while I get something for you.”

“Maybe we’ll find another way to keep the gates of Hell closed by then,” Laura suggests hopefully as the Dean walks out of the room.

Mattie scoffs from across the cavern. “Do you ever annoy _yourself_ with your positivity?”

Laura giggles, getting up from her seat beside the Dean. “Well, I’m _positive_ that Carmilla and I are grateful for you lending this to me.” She unclasps the locket and holds it out for Mattie. “Now that the whole sacrifice tension is over, I don’t think we’ll be needing it.”

 

Mattie looks up at Laura, slowly taking her pendant back. “Thank god. Now I don’t have to worry about my little sister barging in here every five seconds lamenting about her most recent argument with you.”

“And yet something tells me that if I were to nag her about visiting you and spending time with you, you wouldn’t argue,” Laura points out.

“Why nag, when you can use your powers?” Mattie teases.

Laura shrugs. “Not as fun.”

Mattie throws her head back in a cackle. “Oh, Laura Hollis. I’m so glad you weren’t sacrificed.”

“Th-Thanks,” Laura says, figuring this is the highest level of praise she can get from the seer.

 

The Dean’s bead curtain rattles as she re-enters the room. “A gift,” she says, holding out a pair of glasses to Laura. “Do with it what you will.”

Laura takes them carefully and looks down at them, biting her lip. “Thank you. For everything,” she says slowly and sincerely.

The Dean observes her, mulling over something. “In return for… ‘everything’… May I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” Laura nods, curious.

“You were taught in Magic School that seers are upper-level demons, yes? That our loyalties are to evil?”

Laura nods again.

“Then why did you put your faith in either of us, darling?” she asks, gesturing to herself and Mattie. “We don’t exactly exude trustworthiness.”

“Hmm.” Laura remains pensive for a few moments, considering how to reply.

 

She sits down, watching as Mattie cranes her neck, also interested in Laura’s answer.

“You know how Will was following your orders to kidnap me, but shot Carmilla instead? And you cared enough about Carmilla to tell me where he was so I could stop him from killing her?”

The Dean chuckles. “Ah, yes. He’s been removed from my list of servants. The boy can’t think for himself well enough to perform tasks outside of what was laid out before him.”

Laura looks at Mattie. “And when you trusted me enough with Carmilla to not interfere with our relationship–– other than swapping our bodies on my birthday?”

Mattie nods, snickering at the memory. “That was _fun_.”

 

Laura rolls her eyes with a giggle. “Anyway, you guys care about Carm. Evil people don’t care about others, so when I realized you guys aren’t _evil_ , that just meant I had to be willing to give you an opportunity to prove it.”

The Dean and Mattie share a look before both start chuckling.

“I feel like I’ve done something wrong when I’ve made both Mattie and Lilita Morgan laugh,” Laura squeaks.

“Please, Laura. Call me Lily,” the Dean says with a smile.

Laura’s mouth drops open. “Uhm. Y-Yes… Lily.”

The Dean huffs out another laugh, waving as she leaves the main room.

Mattie gets up and slings her arm over Laura’s shoulders, giving her a peck on the cheek.

“Laura Hollis, never change.”

 

* * *

 

 

Mattie drops Laura off in the coven house with an overdramatic bow to Laura and blows a kiss to Carmilla before teleporting out.

“Uhh… I thought you said you were with friends,” Carmilla says, confused. “I came here looking for you and you weren’t here…”

Laura grins smugly. “I think both Mattie and even your mother now consider me a friend. The Dean even told me to call her Lily.”

“D’aww… Laura scoring points with the in-laws,” Danny teases with a cackle.

Carmilla pouts and crosses her arms. “Your dad still wants me to call him Mr. Hollis.”

 

“Ah, don’t worry,” LaF says as they walk into the living room and pat Carmilla’s arm reassuringly. “Sherman made us call him that until we were friends with Laura for like, a decade.”

Perry nods. “I’m sure you dating her should scale it down to like, half that time.”

“Or,” Danny shrugs, “scale it up to: forever?”

Laura mocks laughter before swatting Danny. “Har, har. Don’t make me text my dad and have him revoke your ‘first name privileges.’”

Danny clutches as her chest with a gasp. “Why, Hollis. You wound me.”

 

J.P. and Kirsch orb in.

“How’s the restoration of Magic School coming along?” Perry asks.

“Great,” J.P. replies.

Kirsch groans. “Dudes, let’s order lunch. I’m craving chalupas.”

Danny rolls her eyes. “When do you _not_ crave chalupas?”

 

While everyone else is figuring out lunch, Laura gently nudges Carmilla. “Why were you looking for me?”

Carmilla’s eyes widen before she stammers. “I—Well… Uh…”

“Worried about me?” Laura offers gently.

Carmilla nods sheepishly.

Laura walks over and presses a light kiss to Carmilla’s lips. “Well, you saved me the trouble of calling for you. I’ve got a little project for us to tackle.”

 

“Laura, would you like anything?” J.P. asks.

Laura shakes her head. “Actually… do you guys need us for the missing girls?”

“I don’t believe so,” he replies.

“Awesome,” Laura says, grabbing Carmilla’s arm and dragging her up the stairs to the secrecy of Laura’s old bedroom before she even has a chance to register what’s going on.

 

“Is this project R-rated?” Carmilla teases as Laura pulls her into her old bedroom.

Laura rolls her eyes. “Ha. Ha.” She pulls out the pair of glasses the Dean gave her.

“Ooh, a spectacle kink,” Carmilla whispers.

Laura narrows her eyes in a glare and clicks her tongue. “You are _unbelievable_.” She waves the glasses in front of Carmilla’s face. “It’s the glasses that sent me to the other dimension. I think if I put them on and focus hard enough, it can bring us both there. Your mom gave them to me.”

Carmilla frowns. “Why would she do that?”

Laura bites her lip and fiddles with the glasses in her hands for a moment. “I think she knows what I want to do next. What I have to do.”

 

Carmilla has a guess as to what it is, but she waits for Laura to say it.

“Carm, we have to go there and help them. Like they helped us. I never would’ve had any idea where to start with our Vordenberg without them telling us his backstory. Maybe using their universe’s Clarke to reason with him could work, too?”

Carmilla presses her lips together and sighs, trying to figure out how to articulate her reply. “Laura, this isn’t _our_ Vordenberg that you’ll be dealing with. This a Vordenberg has been operating out in the open and isn’t used to opposition. He could have lost all of his humanity and be more far gone than ours was.”

“Yeah.” Laura nods slowly, letting the words sink in. “Yeah. But doesn’t he deserve a chance? Doesn’t everyone in that reality deserve the shot we got because of them?”

 

Carmilla stares at her before chuckling. “You mean Other Me.”

Laura nods. “Yes. I think Alternate You should get proper closure in a world that hasn’t been swallowed by Hell, and get to prove herself as the good whitelighter I know she can be. I want to go there and give them the opportunity to defeat their Vordenberg so she can stop living in the shadows.”

Carmilla swallows hard, trying to imagine what her life would look like if she had lost Laura months ago. If they had never dated, never fallen in love, never showed each other that they could triumph over evil together. “You think that’s possible for her?” she asks softly.

Laura takes Carmilla’s hands in hers. “You once told me that your job was to guide me, to train me, to protect me, even if it’s from myself. Maybe Alternate You needs someone to do that for her.”

 

Carmilla nods, gesturing for Laura to put on the glasses. “Laura Hollis, you are my hero.”

Laura giggles and shrugs. “I think… Maybe in this story, you are my hero and I'm your hero.” She leans forward and captures Carmilla’s lips in a kiss, pulling her in to deepen it. “And I think that’s the way it should be in _any_ universe.”

 

And suddenly, Carmilla can see the future as clear as day.

Chasing after Laura as she continues getting into trouble. Watching her powers grow as her ability to save the world without using them grows as well.

And beyond that–– the birthdays, the teasing, the laughter.

The love.

Laura smiles at her through some vague confusion at the way Carmilla is grinning. “What?”

 

“Wouldn’t meddling in an alternate universe be breaking rules?” Carmilla asks.

Laura shrugs and giggles. “When we started this whole thing, I promised you I’d help you break as many rules as possible, didn’t I?”

Carmilla laughs. “I thought that our story is that we made each other _better_?”

Laura leans forward and kisses Carmilla deeply, pulling her in tight. She pulls away with a giggle. “It is. And I think our story made the world a little better, too.”

Carmilla nods and takes Laura’s hands in hers. “Let’s go be heroes. Together.”

They orb out, Laura's giggling echoing as Carmilla smiles at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...must come to an end.
> 
> Confession time! The last fandom I wrote in before Carmilla was _Charmed_. That's right-- if you were to know my old pseudonym, you'd find stories I wrote when I was 12 years old, before depression hit like a truck and I gave it all up-- Until I stumbled across this lovely fandom and wanted to give back to it.  
>  The last fic I wrote for _Charmed_ was never completed because of said depression, and I always felt awful about that. To this day, my brother continues to tease that those readers are still waiting for the ending. So I knew when I started writing for this fandom, I had to do better. Which is why I always make sure I'm done writing a multi-chapter story before I start posting it to share.
> 
> This fic was so important to me coz, in a way, it's my apology to the _Charmed_ fandom for never giving that last story a conclusion. And, of course, it's my continued love letter to you creampuffs for always being so encouraging and lovely, and saving my life every time with each comment, each kudos, and each view.  
>  I hope I did both fandoms justice, and I'll see you all the next time I manage to focus and finish a story I feel anywhere near confident enough to share. I wanted to let you know that you, the reader, are amazing and wonderful. Thank you for sticking with me for this journey and being such troopers through it all.
> 
> And, as always,  
> Stay awesome <3


	33. Epi(c)logue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Because the author is like Elise and also hates endings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look. It was gonna be the end after 32 chapters. I swear it was. But I read the comments pouring in (and took forever answering them coz I just got so overwhelmed with the love) and I knew I needed to give the story one last hug before I let it go.  
> I finished this a couple weeks ago and held onto it to post after they wrapped up filming the movie <3  
> So here it is. One last large silly, fluffy addition as a love letter to you guys.

The video starts, with Laura’s tongue sticking out as she centers it and makes sure the lighting is good.

“Oh, oops. Accidentally started recording already,” Laura giggles.

There’s a sigh off-screen before Carmilla walks past her, dragging a dolly with boxes on it. “Uh huh. _Sure_ , Hollis. You’re probably just stalling helping me unpack.”

Laura’s mouth drops open. “Excuse you, who’s the one who loaded all these boxes onto the dolly while you sat there mumbling, ‘ _well, it’s not my stuff, cutie_?’”

Carmilla chuckles on the other side of the room. “I mean, it’s not.”

“I’m highly offended,” Laura grumbles.

Carmilla appears behind her and places a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re so short, you’re not highly _anything_.”

“You’re only an inch taller than me,” Laura sighs with a scowl.

Carmilla opens her mouth, but Laura already knows what she’s about to say.

“ _It’s an important inch,_ ” they say together, Laura saying it a less amused manner.

Carmilla laughs. “I think you’ve caught my grumpiness, cupcake.”

 

“I just hope I don’t catch your uselessness,” Laura teases, her scowl finally breaking as she smiles and leans up to give Carmilla a kiss on the lips.

Carmilla grins and gives her a kiss back. She settles into the spot beside Laura and Laura adjusts the frame so both of them are centered.

“Well, you’ve already started recording. Might as well keep going?” Carmilla suggests.

“What happened to, ‘posterity can bite me?’” Laura imitates Carmilla jokingly.

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Ah, shut up and speak, creampuff.”

 

Laura giggles with a nod and looks into the camera. “Hi, Magic School peeps! Well, it’s been a few months since the whole ritual thing. Carm and I are moving into the small house across the street from the Coven. That way, we can have our own privacy, but we’re close enough to still help out, and I still get access to the Nexus underneath their house.”

“And there’s a big sign outside that reads ‘if your hair is red, knock or you’ll be dead,” Carmilla states proudly.

“Yeeeeah… I’m still not sure if that’s an actual curse or not,” Laura points out. Carmilla shrugs.

“Anyway. In case you missed it, the Elders confirmed what Lili–– uhm, the Dean said. With Vordenberg’s sacrifice, the gates of Hell will remain closed for centuries. Carm and I went to the alternate reality and gave Alternate Carmilla and Mattie info on how we closed the gates here, so Alt Carm went to whatever was left of the Elders to try and get Clarke’s soul out to talk to Vordie.”

Laura looks at Carmilla, who gives her a small encouraging smile to continue.

“It didn’t work right away, but she eventually got him to see reason. Now they’ve gotta wait for when the ritual can be done again, and he’s gonna give himself up to close the gates. The main problem being that between other-Me’s sacrifice, and the entire army of people Vordenberg gave up, it’s gonna take a while. But… it’s something. And, heck, if he changes his mind, I’ll probably be strong enough to use my powers on him. I mean, I don’t _want_ to, but I can. I guess.”

“You’re rambling, buttercup,” Carmilla points out gently.

“Right! Sorry,” Laura says, blushing. “Magic School has asked me to start teaching a new course for part of the semester on the ethics of using powers. Before, we were taught to use our powers to defend ourselves no matter what. And to protect innocents, of course. But this part of the morals course is meant to teach students that maybe magic shouldn’t be your go-to. Maybe there are other courses of action that will make you an even better witch, because it means you won’t get complacent or reliant on your powers. It means you’ll learn to use your wits and trust yourself and those around you.”

Laura looks over at Carmilla, who looks down with a sheepish smile.

 

“I had started these vlogs when I left Magic School with the intent on showing you what the real world is like. And that’s what I’m going to continue to do, but also as a part of the curriculum. Like, as extra material.”

“These poor kids,” Carmilla laments, earning a smack from Laura.

“ _Anyway_. I’ll continue vlogging my adventures outside Magic School while teaching this course. So this is the intro one, meant to tell you to rewatch all my previous vlogs. See you in class!”

The video ends and a title card with a badly-edited Laura in a pointed witch hat and a grumpy Carmilla holding her broom flashes up, reading “Laura in the Loop and Carmilla’s Got the Whoop.”

 

* * *

 

Laura appears in a black robe, with a stack of papers in front of her.

“Hi, guys! So it’s been about a year since I needed to make a video. Thanks to those of you who made my first year of teaching so enjoyable. And I apologize again for that whole Harpy incident during finals. I could’ve _sworn_ I closed that portal all the way.”

She laughs before checking her phone and looking back at the camera.

“As some of you requested, I’ll be trying to take a GoPro with me on the next relevant outing. The whole stationary camera gimmick is _so_ 2014, anyway. So we’ll see how this goes––”

 

There’s a knocking on the door and Danny walks in without waiting for a reply. She looks around, realizing she may have made a mistake.

“Carm’s not here,” Laura chuckles.

“Oh, okay. N-Not that I’m scared of her,” Danny insists.

Laura smirks. “Of course.”

“Well, we gotta get going, Hollis. Those trolls aren’t gonna wait forever.”

Laura grabs the GoPro and puts it on her head. Danny lets out a loud snort before covering her mouth.

“What?” Laura demands.

Danny lets out another snort. “You… look… uhm. Great.”

 

“I’m not doing this as a fashion statement. I’m doing it for my students,” Laura says, securing it.

LaF and Perry walk in and both stare at Laura with a mix of amusement and confusion.

“Uhm… going spelunking?” LaF deadpans, making Perry try and fail to stifle laughter.

“Ugh, this is why Magic School didn’t ask you guys to teach,” Laura snaps with a huff.

Orbs light up the room and Carmilla stares at Laura in silence for several seconds before speaking. “So… are we ready to go?” she asks.

Laura nods. “Yup!”

Carmilla continues to look Laura up and down before glancing around the room. “Where is it?”

“Where’s what?” Laura asks.

“Your pickaxe. For when you go _mining_ with that head mount,” Carmilla mocks.

Danny, LaF, and Perry all start laughing and Laura pouts. She turns to face the camera, glaring at her audience.

“The things I do for you guys.”

 

* * *

 

The video starts with a man’s back facing it. He steps aside, and Laura glances at the camera, giggling.

“Daaaad! You turned my camera on!”

He jumps and squints at the screen. “Oh. Uh… w-why… is there a camera… here…?”

Laura laughs and gestures for him to sit. “I use it to record extra material for the class I teach at Magic School. Although I generally use a GoPro more. I don’t think I’ve used this thing for a few years.”

Mattie teleports in, making Sherman jump.

 

She regards him carefully. “Oh. _Awkward_. Do I need to kill him to cover up this exposure to magic?”

Laura steps in front of her father. “Mattie! This is my dad. You met him at the wedding, remember?”

Mattie frowns and examines him again. “Did he have hair?”

Laura and Sherman shake their heads.

“Hmm.” Mattie cocks her head to the side. “Nope, don’t remember him.”

Laura rolls her eyes and stays in front of him.

Mattie narrows her eyes at Laura. “So, in regards to the killing, that’s a…?”

“A definite _no_ ,” Laura replies.

“Oh. Good. Just got my nails done,” Mattie remarks with a little hip sway.

 

Laura pats her dad on the arm and sits back down with a sigh of relief. “Did you come here for a reason _other_ than to threaten my dad?”

Mattie crosses her arms. “Can’t an innocent seer check in on her favorite sister-in-law?”

Laura narrows her eyes suspiciously. “I’m your _only_ sister-in-law. And you’re not so innocent, as evident by the very recent threatening of my father.”

Mattie actually laughs at that. “Quite true, little garbanzo bean.” She props her head up on her hand with an entertained wriggle. “I need you to use your powers on these stubborn lower-level demons who owe me and Mother something.”

“What do they owe you?” Laura asks.

 

Mattie purses her lips together before replying. “Baby tears and… unicorn horns and… fluffy bunny tails? And kittens. And some puppies.”

Laura scoffs. “What do they _really_ owe you?”

“Ugh. What gave it away? Was it the fluffy bunny tails?” Mattie groans. “Whatever. They owe us virgin blood. A lot of it.”

Laura’s nose turns up in disgust. “Ew.”

“Yeah, the bunny tails don’t sound so bad now, do they?” Mattie cackles. When Laura scowls at her, she continues. “Anyway, his name is Donnagorwen.”

Laura’s eyes widen and she digs her phone out of her pocket. She unlocks it and scrolls through her pictures for a few moments. Finally, she holds it up for Mattie. “Is this him?”

 

Mattie frowns. “Why the hell do you have a selfie with Donnagorwen?”

Laura giggles. “He was having some problems with his landlord a couple years ago and asked Carm if she could put in a good word with me to help him out.”

Mattie stares at her incredulously. “You… used your powers… on a human landlord… to help out a lower-level demon?”

Laura nods. “Yup! It was just to be more fair with the heat in the winter. And in exchange for payment, I asked that he stop… killing… virgins……” She swallows hard. “Oh. Oops.”

 

Mattie narrows her eyes in a glare, her nostrils flaring. “You mean to tell me that _you’re_ the one who convinced our largest virgin blood supplier to quit the business and leave us in the lurch?”

Laura gulps. “Uhm…”

Mattie leaps out of her chair, looking ready to strangle Laura.

“Mattie! What are you doing?” Carmilla demands as she orbs in.

“Your dumb tater tot cost us our largest virgin blood reserve! Over low-income housing heating!” Mattie yells.

Carmilla cocks her head to the side, confused. “What do you need virgin blood for?”

Mattie opens and closes her mouth several times. “I don’t have to explain myself to you. Either of you.”

“You do if you want virgin blood,” Laura replies.

Mattie throws her hands up into the air with a groan. “Forget it. I’ll go threaten him again myself. Sixteenth time is the charm.”

She teleports out, leaving Carmilla and Laura to share befuddled looks.

 

“I can’t believe she didn’t remember me from the wedding,” Sherman sighs sadly beside Laura.

  

* * *

 

 

There’s a commotion as the video starts recording and Carmilla jumps. “Shit. I turned this stupid thing on,” she grumbles over her shoulder. Her face is tear-streaked and her eyes are swollen. “How do I make it stop?”

“Don’t look at me, sis,” a voice says in the background. “I hate those things on general principle. Who needs a record of events for? Sentimentality is such a waste.”

Carmilla rolls her eyes. “Says the one with a pendant that makes it easier to recall happy memories,” she says, her voice weak and raspy.

“Fine. You got me.” Mattie walks over. “Would you like to borrow it now? Seems like you could use some smiles after all the sobbing and lamenting you’ve been doing.”

Carmilla shakes her head. “No. Laura’s not dead.”

“Well, she’s not looking so lively, either,” Mattie says, turning Carmilla’s chair around to face the couch in the background. Laura is sprawled across it, unconscious. A pair of glasses lay beside her. “But I mean, Kitty. You’re immortal. She’s not. You were bound to lose her some time. After all, she pisses off everyone she meets. Hell, after the whole virgin blood incident, mother even rescinded her ‘Lily’ rights.”

 

“Yeah, I had a real hard time keeping in mind that she’s in bad shape. And that I’d lose her one day. Thanks for reminding me of her impending mortality,” Carmilla snaps.

Mattie frowns and seems to realize her aloof comments are going too far. “Maybe you should try healing her again?” she tries gently.

“I’ve tried that,” Carmilla replies, her voice cracking. “I got all her wounds and her bruises and she’s just–– there’s no response.”

“Okay, but you said the explosion happened as you guys came flying through from the alternate dimension, right?” Mattie asks. “Like, there was an explosion over there when all Hell literally broke loose, as Laura was putting the glasses on, and the force of it blew you back into this reality. So… Maybe…”

Carmilla laughs dryly, void of any humor. “Optimism doesn’t become of you. But thanks.”

“Just trying to do whatever your little quiche would be doing right now,” Mattie sighs. “Maybe you should call her hairless father––”

 

Suddenly, Laura sits bolt upright, gasping for air.

Carmilla’s mouth drops open and her eyes widen. It takes a moment for her brain to catch up with what she’s seeing, but she dives forward off her chair and rushes to Laura, grabbing her into a hug. “Oh my god, ohmygod,” she breathes out. “You’re alive!”

Laura seems just as shocked and awkwardly returns the hug until Carmilla pulls away, looking into her eyes.

“How is this possible?” Carmilla asks. “You… You were…”

 

“Dead?” a voice asks from off-camera. The man steps forward.

“Death,” Carmilla greets, standing protectively in front of Laura.

He laughs. “You know, when I asked you to take excellent care of Laura Hollis, I didn’t mean for just a decade. I meant for the duration of a normal human life.”

Carmilla scowls. “You’re not taking her.”

“A bit slow on the uptake, aren’t you?” The Angel shakes his head. “Laura Hollis died during that explosion.”

Carmilla stares at him, then at Mattie, and finally at Laura, horrified. “What?”

“Or, at least, she should have. The magic in those glasses did something to her,” he comments.

 

“What the hell do you mean, ‘something?’” Carmilla demands.

The Angel of Death sighs impatiently. “First of all, those glasses are one-of-a-kind and meant for hands-off viewing into one particular realm. But with her powers and all that traveling back and forth you guys do every couple of months, it began to contain an essence of hers. A rare magical object with the essence of one of the most powerful magical beings on Earth? Unprecedented.”

Carmilla looks down at Laura, who seems to be coming out of her fog as she speaks. “So when there was an explosion on the other side that should’ve killed me… That _did_ kill me…”

He nods. “Yes, yes. She’s got it.”

“That essence locked in the glasses was enough for…” Laura blinks tiredly. “For…”

Carmilla looks over to the Angel of Death. “What the hell is going on?”

 

He takes a step closer to them and laughs softly. “The magic in those shattered frames did more than give me something to work with in returning her to the land of the living.” He chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief before locking eyes with Carmilla. “There was so much of her in there from your travels, between her, and your love for her… and Other You’s love for her… And when that world’s gates of Hell closed with an explosion of magic…”

The Angel stops and looks over at Laura, who is staring down at her hands in wonder.

“You feel it, don’t you?”

Laura nods slowly.

 

“Feel what?” Carmilla asks gently.

“I’m… I’m immortal,” Laura says, looking up with tears in her eyes.

Carmilla’s eyes widen. “What?” she asks, barely audible. She looks to the Angel of Death.

“She’s not impervious to harm, mind you,” he explains. “But as of now, she will never die of old age. You and Alt Carmilla’s love for Laura were so embedded in those powerful glasses that her soul isn’t going anywhere with me any time soon. Her life is linked to those glasses. As long as they’re around, so will Laura Hollis.” He bows and teleports out, leaving a shocked room behind.

 

“You’re immortal?” Carmilla asks again.

Laura nods. “I’m immortal. As immortal as a pair of glasses, anyway. We should probably keep them protect––”

Carmilla leans forward and pulls Laura into a long, passionate kiss. She manages to pull Laura even closer, even though she now knows she’ll never have to let her go.

 

There’s a groan from across the room as Mattie glares at the glasses. “Oh _god_ , I’m stuck with this madness for all of eternity.”

 

* * *

 

The camera turns on and Laura appears, removing a black robe.

“Hey, guys! Gosh, it’s been like, five years since the last time I’ve turned this on. But with my last mobile camera getting smashed to bits during an unfortunate run-in with some golems, I figured it’s time to return to my roots.” Laura grins into the camera. “Which brings me to the point of this video. Roots. As in, hair roots.”

Laura shifts a stack of books aside so the lighting is better as she tips her head forward.

“As some of you have pointed out, since I don’t live full-time at Magic School, people will start to notice that I’m forty years old, but still look like I’m thirty. And that it’ll only get worse. So I’m casting a glamor spell on myself and Carm. So that we visibly age accordingly. And then when we hit, like, I dunno, eighty, I’ll just undo it and we’ll pretend we’re our kids or something.” Laura shrugs. “We’ll figure that out later.”

 

Orbs light up the room and Carmilla appears. “Your creampuffs, as requested.” Carmilla holds up a box, as well as a candle. “From Mother, also as requested.”

“Is she still mad at me?” Laura asks, taking it and lighting it. “Is she going to stay mad at me for _all_ _eternity_?”

Carmilla nods, amused. “She says you can call her Lily again when you get her all that virgin blood.”

Laura pouts. “Well, it was nice while it lasted.”

Carmilla laughs and opens the box, handing her a creampuff.

 

“Yay! Can’t do spell-casting on an empty stomach,” Laura hums, kissing Carmilla. “Thank you.” She quickly stuffs one in her mouth before swiping a piece of paper from the table. “Ready to look forty years old?”

Carmilla shrugs. “I guess.”

 

Laura clears her throat as she holds up the candle.

_To ensure a life with no alarm_

_From questions of advancing age_

_Mask the youth of me and Carm_

_TARDIS engines engage!_

Carmilla quirks and eyebrow and Laura giggles. “I needed _something_ to rhyme with ‘age.’”

Lights swirl around them and Carmilla lets out a snort when she looks into the camera to see nothing’s changed about her.

Laura, on the other hand, looks older.

Much, much older.

 

Laura lets out a shriek but her voice cracks. “Oh my goodness,” she rasps. “Why do I look…”’

“Like a geriatric seventy year old?” Carmilla teases, trying to stifle her laughter. “I, uh, think you got too cute with the spell, cupcake. It might’ve taken whatever magic was supposed to turn me old but didn’t understand who ‘Carm’ was so it doubled it for you.”

Laura groans and buries her face in her hands. “Okay. Okay. I can fix this. I can fi––”

 

Lights swirl around Laura again, but this time she vanishes from sight.

Carmilla starts to panic, but then she remembers.

She remembers a small elderly lady appearing in the coven house living room, two decades ago.

A lady who said “Holy Hufflepuff,” laughed, and called her Carm.

A Future Laura who ate present-Laura’s secret stash of cookies, who confused them all about how they’d get out of the ritual mess without sacrificing Laura.

 

A Laura who started calling the Dean by “Lily” even though apparently that hadn’t been a habit for quite some time.

A Laura who lets two frightened girls know everything was going to be okay when they needed to hear it most.

 

“See you in a mo’, Laura,” Carmilla says with a wink to the camera before she stops the video recording.

Everything _was_ okay, after all.

Charmed, even.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 love you all. Thank you for the kudos and the comments and making a tiny creampuff so grateful she shared this story with the world.


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